Just outside the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg, the statue of Queen Victoria was toppled down amid outrage over the discovery of unmarked graves belonging to Indigenous Canadian children.
The statue was pulled down with ropes on Canada Day – an annual celebration that marks the country’s confederation.
According to police report and local media at least one person was arrested after the statue was toppled.
The protests, which are taking place across Canada were fueled by the citing of a unmarked graves on or near the grounds of former residential schools.
A statue of Queen Elizabeth II, was also pulled down at the East side of the grounds as both royals are seen as symbols of the country’s colonial history.
About seven Catholic churches across the country have been found on fire or defaced.
Residential schools were run by the Canadian government who used the churches to forcibly assimilate 150,000 first nation, Inuit, and Metis children, starting in the 1830’s.
Canada’s truth and reconciliation commission estimates the number of dead children to about 4100 but experts think the number is closer to 15,000.
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