The University of Calgary is investigating after public art on campus promoting Pride was vandalized over the long weekend.
Two rocks used to share messages and promote campus events had been coloured in rainbows in an effort to celebrate Calgary Pride, but were defaced sometime in the early morning hours of Sept. 3.
Vandals pained a large “X” over one rock, which showed a rainbow and the word “Pride” – and wrote the name “Sam Hyde” over the other rock, which was painted the colours of the rainbow.
Hyde is an American comedian known for public pranks and internet hoaxes. He has been erroneously reported as the perpetrator of numerous mass shootings, including ones on American university campuses.
The University of Calgary group Queers on Campus had painted the Pride messages on the rocks on Friday.
Spokesperson Margaret Patterson said she found out about the vandalism on Sunday morning.
“My older brother had texted me a picture and told me that someone had vandalized it,” she said.
“My stomach dropped.”
“They sent a message, like a more negative message to us, and they chose to do that. They chose to write Sam Hyde on it, they chose to put the ‘X’ over it and that says something about what’s going on.”
The rock has since been repainted to welcome students to campus for the 2017-18 school year.
— With files from Jill Croteau
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