Catholic church in New Westminster splattered with paint, hit with graffiti

A Catholic church in New Westminster has been the latest target of vandals in the wake of heightened tensions after the discovery of unmarked graves at former residential schools.

Staff and parishioners arrived at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Royal Avenue Sunday to find the front walls splattered with paint.

The graffiti also included the messages “baby killers” and “you’re guilty” sprayed near the church’s doors.

2:15 Police dealing with spike in vandalism at Vancouver churches

The incident is the latest in a string of suspicious fires and targeted graffiti, following the initial discovery of the remains of more than 200 children at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

First Nations in several additional communities have revealed unmarked gravesites at additional former institutions since then.

Earlier this week, Vancouver police said since June 2, they had responded to 13 incidents of mischief or vandalism at churches, including rocks being thrown through windows, buildings being defaced with paint, and threats being made to set buildings on fire.