Protesters deface statue of Queen Victoria at B.C. legislature
A group of protesters vandalized a statue of Queen Victoria at the B.C. legislature on Friday.
Protesters splashed cans of red paint on the statue and used red spray paint to scrawl the words “Land Back” on the statue’s podium.
The paint was also poured into a fountain on the legislature grounds.
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. when hundreds of protesters converged on the legislature to voice opposition to the logging of old-growth forests in British Columbia.
The organizers of Friday's rally told CTV News they do not condone the vandalism and feel betrayed by those who defaced the statue.
Victoria police are asking any witnesses of the incident to come forward.
"Safe, peaceful and lawful protest is permitted under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Vandalism is not," said the police department in a release Friday.
It was the second straight day of protests against old-growth logging at the B.C. legislature after a group of seniors descended on the legislature grounds Thursday, shutting down a street in the area.
It’s not the first time this year that a royal likeness was vandalized in Victoria.
In February, a bust of Queen Elizabeth II in Beacon Hill Park was decapitated in the midst of a citywide vandalism spree.
The Beacon Hill bust was created to commemorate the royal visit to Victoria in 1959.
Anyone with information on Friday's incident is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
BUDGET 2024 Feds cutting 5,000 public service jobs, looking to turn underused buildings into housing
Five thousand public service jobs will be cut over the next four years, while underused federal office buildings, Canada Post properties and the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa could be turned into new housing units, as the federal government looks to find billions of dollars in savings and boost the country's housing portfolio.
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
From housing initiatives to a disability benefit, how the federal budget impacts you
From plans to boost new housing stock, encourage small businesses, and increase taxes on Canada’s top-earners, CTVNews.ca has sifted through the 416-page budget to find out what will make the biggest difference to your pocketbook.
Toronto police arrest several people at rail line protest
Several people have been arrested at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the city’s west end that blocked rail lines for hours Tuesday.
500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
Teen hockey players arrested for sexual assault following hazing incident: Manitoba RCMP
Three teenagers were arrested in connection with a pair of alleged hazing incidents on a Manitoba hockey team, police say.
B.C. killer seeks to attend sentencing by video as lawyer cites safety concerns
A defence lawyer for Ibrahim Ali, who was convicted of first-degree murder of a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C., says the man wants to appear at his sentencing hearing by video over fear for his safety.
Lululemon unveils first summer kit for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic teams
Lululemon showed off its collection for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics on Tuesday at the Liberty Grand entertainment complex. Athletes sported a variety of selections during a fashion show that featured garments to be worn on the podium, during opening and closing ceremonies, media interviews and daily life on the ground in France.