A spree of church arsons have occurred across Canada. In less than two weeks, seven churches have burned following the discovery of over 1,000 unmarked graves on the land of former boarding schools for Indigenous assimilation.

The term "cultural genocide” has been used to describe the treatment of Indigenous children from the 1880s to the 1990s throughout Canada. Over 110 years, roughly 150,000 Indigenous children were sent to boarding schools to be stripped of their language and culture, facing horrific emotional, physical and sexual abuse in the process, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reports [via BBC].

At least 130 of these schools -- many run by the Catholic Church -- were open throughout Canada until as late as 1996. It’s estimated that up to 6,000 neglected children died of malnutrition and disease at these residential schools, though the true number may never be known as many records were destroyed.

In late May of this year, the remains of 215 children were discovered on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia. Just days later, at least 750 additional unmarked graves were found at the former Marieval Indian Residential School. Additional grave sites continue to be discovered, leading to a nationwide outcry and revitalizing a discussion of the evils of colonialism.

As of this posting, over 1,500 grave sites have been uncovered.

"This was a crime against humanity, an assault on First Nations,” remarked Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations. "We are proud people, the only crime we ever committed as children was being born Indigenous.”

After the graves were discovered, churches began to burn. On June 21 (National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada), an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was patrolling near Penticton Indian Band land at 1:22 AM when he spotted flames coming from the Sacred Heart Church. Two hours later, police received a call about another fire at St. Gregory’s Church on Osoyoos Indian Band land, roughly 25 miles from Sacred Heart. Both churches were burned to the ground. Investigators described the fires as "suspicious.”

Posted by: Leo Finney at July 08, 2021 08:10 PM (k7R5q)

Posted by: martian rocks weed at July 12, 2021 07:31 AM (QjImP)

Hide Comments | Add Comment