Advocates for missing and murdered Indigenous people say they’re angry and disturbed about repeated vandalism targeting a memorial along Vancouver Island’s Inland Highway.
Activist Leslie Hnatiw spearheaded the initiative, which saw 48 wooden red dresses — a national symbol for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls — along the highway between Campbell River and Comox.
The dresses were crafted by community members with donated wood and paint, and in many cases reference specific women and girls who have vanished or been killed.
The installation went up on May 5, Red Dress Day, but in the months since at least 28 of them have been torn down or damaged in other ways.
“It’s very disturbing what has happened here. This is a child that has been murdered,” Hnatiw said of one of the damaged signs.
“The fact it was violently destroyed multiple times, taken down off these posts, is very disturbing, is very saddening and disheartening.”
Hnatiw said she reached out to Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dhal about the issue in October and met with him earlier this month.
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During that meeting, she asked for the city to issue a clear statement denouncing the vandalism — but has heard nothing from the city since.
Missing and murdered Indigenous people advocate Raven Hall said that’s not good enough.
“I would like to see a public statement so that the community is very well aware that these red dresses are not garbage on the highway. I would like to hear a formal announcement that these dresses will remain and they are not to be touched,” she told Global News.
“Because taking down each of those dresses, in my opinion, is a hate crime.”
Hall said all levels of government in Canada have failed to make virtually any progress on the 231 calls for justice identified in the 2019 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
She said if the local municipality was unwilling to stand up for the dresses in this case, it should stop speaking about its commitment to reconciliation.
Dhal was not available for an interview, but in a statement, the city urged anyone with information on the vandalism to call the RCMP.
“The City of Campbell River acknowledges the trauma caused by the removal and destruction of the red dresses along Highway 19 and wholeheartedly supports education about the significance of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, also known as Red Dress Day,” it said.
In a statement, B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Christine Boyle denounced the vandalism.
“The vandalizing of the memorial is an ugly reminder of the racism, colonialism and misogyny that continues in our everyday lives,” the statement reads.
“Every single Indigenous woman, girl and two-spirit person needs to be able to feel safe in their community, neighbourhood and home. We remain steadfast and committed to ending violence against Indigenous women and girls.”
Making matters worse, advocates posted on a local Facebook group asking for the dresses to be left alone, only to meet with a torrent of racist and abusive comments in return.
The group behind the red dresses is now fundraising to buy more wood, paint and supplies to craft new signage, saying they won’t back down.
“This is colonial violence and oppression and racism,” Hnatiw said.
“It’s a further attempt to silence Indigenous people and to perpetrate further harm and violence and hate.”
RCMP are investigating the vandalism, but say it is too early to speculate about a motive.
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