Man charged for allegedly damaging Harriet Tubman statue at St. Catharine’s church

A man in his 20s has been arrested by police in St. Catharines for allegedly toppling a statue of an American abolitionist and political activist.

Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) say the concrete bust of Harriet Tubman was “intentionally damaged” at the Salem Chapel British Methodist Episcopal Church on Sunday at 92 Geneva St.

Investigators suggested there was no reason to believe the alleged vandalism was a hate-motivated crime and revealed they were seeking a 24-year-old suspect with no fixed address in connection with the incident.

He was arrested on Wednesday and has now been charged with mischief over $5,000 and failing to comply with a probation order.

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The accused has since been released on condition and is expected in a St. Catharines court on a future date.

Harriet Tubman was best known for rescuing a number of enslaved people, including family and friends, using a network of secret routes and safe houses in the United States in the mid-1800s.

The system was used to help African Americans escape into free states and Canada, including across the Niagara River.