Canadian protesters tear down statue of country’s first prime minister, accusing him of racist policies


Canadian activists have reportedly pulled down a statue of the country’s first prime minister, whose policies have been linked to the deaths of many indigenous peoples, according to reports.

A video showed the moment protesters were able to pull down a statue of Sir John A McDonald, while the statue bounced off its head after falling to the ground. The BBC reported that one of the protesters asked for a photo of the head

According to Canadian broadcaster CBC, a leaflet distributed at the protest described McDonald as “a white supremacist who invaded the genocide of indigenous peoples with the creation of a ruthless residential schools system.” No arrests have been made.

On August 29, 2020, in Canada Park in central Montreal, the first Prime Minister of Canada, John A.  The statue of McDonald is lying on the ground, while it was pulled over by anti-apartheid opponents.  Demonstration calling on police to defame.  - McDonald's government has been accused of forcing enrollment of indigenous peoples through forced enrollment in residential schools, for example, language and culture were harmed - described in a 2015 reconciliation commission report

On August 29, 2020, in Canada Park in central Montreal, the first Prime Minister of Canada, John A. The statue of McDonald is lying on the ground, while it was pulled over by anti-apartheid opponents. Demonstration calling on police to defame. – The McDonald’s government has been accused of forcing the enrollment of indigenous peoples through forced enrollment in residential schools, for example, language and culture were harmed – described in the 2015 Reconciliation Commission report as “cultural genocide”. (Photo by Eric Thomas / AFP) (Photo by Eric Thomas / AFP by Getty Images)

“Destroying parts of our history is not a solution,” said Quebec Premier Franોois Legault, calling the action “unacceptable.”

Canada's first prime minister, John A.  Manald Cadonald's statue is on the ground (L), a few meters away, in Canada Park in central Montreal on August 29, 2020, after he was pulled down by an anti-racist man who called on protesters to defame police.  - McDonald's government has been accused of forcing enrollment of indigenous peoples through forced enrollment in residential schools, for example, language and culture were harmed - described in a 2015 reconciliation commission report

Canada’s first prime minister, John A. Manald Cadonald’s statue is on the ground (L), a few meters away, in Canada Park in central Montreal on August 29, 2020, after he was pulled down by an anti-racist man who called on protesters to defame police. – The McDonald’s government has been accused of seeking the involvement of indigenous peoples by forcibly enrolling in residential schools, for example, language and culture were harmed – described in a 2015 Reconciliation Commission report as a “cultural genocide”. (Photo by Eric Thomas / AFP) (Photo by Eric Thomas / AFP by Getty Images)

“Destroying the monument in this way is unacceptable,” Legault wrote on Twitter. “We must fight racism, but there is no way to destroy parts of our history. Subversion has no place in our democracy and the statue must be re-established.”

According to the BBC, the recent shift in McDonald’s standing, especially in response to global protests following the death of George Floyd, has led Scotland to “reject it”. Mention of the Glasgow-born politician has been removed from Scotland.org sites.

In a statement, the Scottish National Party-led government confirmed that it had removed articles from Sir John A. McDonald’s from websites following legal concerns raised by Canadian indigenous communities about their heritage.

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McDonald helped build the Canadian nation and the residential school system. His nation-building policies include forcibly removing at least 150,000 indigenous children from their homes and enrolling them in state-funded boarding schools.

By banning students from speaking their own language or practicing more explicit elements of their culture, the policy implemented assimilation. Many of those children are believed to have died.

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McDonald is also likely to suffer many indigenous peoples due to drought and disease, while some tribes left their lands.