There’s been another act of vandalism on Vancouver’s waterfront and not far from where the Olympic Cauldron was damaged over the past weekend.
Vancouver police have confirmed glass at the Komagata Maru memorial in Coal Harbour has been smashed.
The damage has distorted the historical image.
“We don’t just want to find the person who did this, but also understand why this cherished memorial was targeted,” said Const. Jason Doucette, a VPD officer.
“Detectives from a number of VPD specialized units are working together to collect evidence and identify the suspect(s) in this troubling incident.”
The investigation began on Oct. 4 after officers learned on social media of the vandalism.
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It’s the second time in as many years that someone has deliberately defaced the memorial.
In the 2021 incident, a man named Yuniar Kurniawan was charged with mischief after someone used paint to vandalize the memorial.
On Tuesday, VPD officers released CCTV footage of two suspects, who were seen causing thousands of dollars in damage to the nearby cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza.
Police said they are investigating both incidents and have not ruled out the possibility that they may be linked.
The Komagata Maru memorial was built to commemorate the 1914 incident that witnessed 376 passengers from India escorted out of Vancouver’s Coal Harbour aboard the steamship Komagata Maru.
For many Canadians, the name Komagata Maru means little. But what happened on that crowded ship in 1914 has become, for many scholars, emblematic of an entire period of Canadian history characterized by xenophobia, racism and exclusionary immigration policies.
The 376 passengers from India were denied entry to the country and sent back across the Pacific Ocean.
You can read more about the Komagata Maru incident on Global News’ website.
— with files from Monique Muise.
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