Ottawa church vandalized with Islamic symbol
A Bells Corners church in Ottawa has been vandalized, having been desecrated with an Islamic symbol.
It’s the second time the church has been vandalized in recent weeks, after the St. Martin de Porres Parish announced in a Facebook post last week that three of its stained glass windows had been broken by vandals.
"It is with great disappointment that we share that our church has been the subject of vandalism. We have notified the Ottawa Police Service - Service de police d'Ottawa and will be reviewing our security footage," the church said in a post to Facebook.
"Please pray for those who persecute us. We are disheartened but will endure in our faith."
Police would not say whether the incident was hate-motivated and said that an investigation is under way. Yellow paint on the church’s facade appears to show the crescent moon and star, a prominent Islamic symbol.
A full investigation into unmarked graves at former residential schools like in Kamloops, BC should be held, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tells Rebel News' Drea Humphrey.
— Drea Humphrey - Prepping and Politics (@DreaHumphrey) January 22, 2024
"Canadians deserve to know the truth," he says.
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"This is extremely disturbing and it may provoke others to react, as we know there are many who are misguided in their understanding of worldly affairs," a statement by Imam Anver Malem, the president of Jami Omar Mosque, said, according to CTV News.
"I hope and pray that this is the last of what we have seen recently. We are with you and please let us know if we can do anything for the church."
The defacing is the latest act of church vandalism in Canada. Dozens of houses of prayer have been desecrated or destroyed since the announcement of the supposed discovery of unmarked graves (now referred to as "anomalies") near a former residential school in Kamloops in 2021.
The Liberal's special adviser wants to criminalize members of the public for engaging in 'residential school denialism' and 'minimizing.'
— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) December 6, 2023
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A breakdown by True North reports that over 100 churches have been targeted in recent years.
Years after the announcement and several well-funded investigations, not a single body has been found at the supposed mass grave.
At the time of the alleged discovery, the federal government approved $3.1 million for a national Residential Schools Student Death Register and another $238.8 million for a Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund which expires in 2025.
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