Federal Minister Says US Flag On The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier Statue Is 'Shameful'
It's been described as a "desecration" of the Canadian memorial.
Minister of National Defence Anita Anand. Right: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Federal Minister of National Defence Anita Anand recently took to social media to slam images showing someone draping Canada's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in a United States flag.
Per CTV News Ottawa, a live stream on July 24 showed an individual draping the national memorial with American and Canadian flags.
It's not immediately clear what message was attempting to be conveyed, although images and videos of the individual quickly started circulating on social media.
"I am disturbed by yesterday’s events at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," said Minister Anand on Monday.
"The right to protest is something those honoured at the Tomb sacrificed their lives for, however the desecration of this memorial is unacceptable and shameful."
\u201cI am disturbed by yesterday\u2019s events at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The right to protest is something those honoured at the Tomb sacrificed their lives for, however the desecration of this memorial is unacceptable and shameful.\u201d— Anita Anand (@Anita Anand) 1658775294
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is an Ottawa monument that holds the remains of an unknown soldier who was killed in France during World War I.
It serves as a memorial for all Canadian soldiers who have died in wars and conflicts and is a focal point of remembrance ceremonies in the nation's capital.
Youri Cormier, an executive director at the defence think-tank Conference of Defence Associations, told CTV "The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is not a place for slogans and civil disobedience, it's a place of prayer, gratitude, and introspection."
"Setting an American flag on the Canadian cenotaph was a profoundly insulting thing for a tourist to do," continued Cormier. "It showed a great lack of judgment."
Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence McAuley also made a statement on the event.
\u201cSo disappointing to see continued disrespectful & dishonourable behaviour at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. This sacred site deserves our utmost respect, honour & integrity. Pay respect appropriately with moment of silence & reflection on those who\u2019ve sacrificed all for \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6.\u201d— Lawrence MacAulay (@Lawrence MacAulay) 1658759813
"So disappointing to see continued disrespectful & dishonourable behaviour at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider," said McAuley.
"This sacred site deserves our utmost respect, honour & integrity," he continued. "Pay respect appropriately with moment of silence & reflection on those who’ve sacrificed all for [Canada]."
This recent act isn't the only one that has recently been decried as desecration of the monument.
During the Freedom Convoy protests of January 2022, the Tomb was allegedly urinated and jumped on by the protesters in Ottawa. This was widely condemned by different politicians, including NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who called the acts "despicable."
And in 2020, the Tomb was vandalized with anti-semitic graffiti, something that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a "hateful act" and "completely unacceptable."
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.