Protestors In Manitoba & BC Ripped Down Multiple Statues On Canada Day (VIDEOS)
A statue of Captain Cook ended its day in the Pacific Ocean.
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Three statues in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Victoria, B.C., were toppled on Canada Day, part of a growing movement of protests and rallies against Canada's colonial history after recent grave discoveries at former residential schools.
Activists dressed in orange were filmed pulling down a Queen Victoria statue and a Captain Cook statue, prompting an investigation from local police and even a condemnation from the British government.
These incidents took place months after several other high-profile topplings, including one of Egerton Ryerson in Toronto and John A. McDonald in Montreal.
Captain James Cook statue in Victoria, BC. This was moments before his body was sunk in the Salish Sea by Nuu Chah Nulth Youth and friends. The city of Victoria should remove all monuments that celebrate settler colonialism. NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE!pic.twitter.com/mffbRPiYJ4— Siiam Hamilton (@Siiam Hamilton) 1625205793
In Victoria, a group of protestors toppled a statue of Captain James Cook, who landed on Vancouver Island in the 18th century. After knocking the statue off its pedestal, it was thrown into the Inner Harbour.
Victoria police are still looking for suspects in the statue toppling incident, posting photos to Twitter in an attempt to crack down on the property damage.
Meanwhile, in Winnipeg, another group of protestors toppled a statue of Queen Victoria outside of Manitoba's Legislative Building. Another statue of Queen Elizabeth II was also toppled, according to the BBC.
TAKE HER DOWN!!!! \n#QueenVictoria statue at the legislative building in Winnipeg, Manitoba!pic.twitter.com/RCZXobW1ZV— G (@G) 1625174115
The BBC also reports that while the British government's thoughts are with Canada's Indigenous community, the government "obviously condemn[s]" the topplings.