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'Whoever did this is a coward': Vancouver's Komagatu Maru memorial vandalized

The memorial, naming all 376 South Asian immigrants aboard a ship turned away from Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­in 1914 due to racist policies, was defaced with white paint
Lindsay William-Ross
Lindsay William-Ross
komagata-maru-vandalism
The Komagata Maru memorial in Vancouver's Coal Harbour was targeted by vandals@jindisinghka / Twitter

A Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­memorial created to honour the hundreds of South Asian immigrants victimized by racist Canadian policies has been targeted by vandals.

In 1914, a ship called the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver, with 376 people aboard. Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­City Council discriminated against those passengers - all of South Asian descent - by denying them entry to the city and leaving them stranded on their boat without sufficient access to medical aid, food and water.

The , which was installed nearly a decade ago in Coal Harbour, serves as a reminder of that painful chapter in our local and national history. 

This weekend, the memorial was covered in graffiti, specifically white paint streaks, handprints, and tagging.

"I had a great Great Uncle on that ship who was sent back and put on house arrest in Panjab until the Brits left in ‘47," said Jindi Singh, National Director or Khalsa Aid Canada, on Twitter, adding: "This is not what I wanted to show my kids."

Local and national leaders and candidates speak out about the vandalism

"There is no place for intolerance or hate in Canada," said Kailin Che, the Conservative party candidate running for MP in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­Granville.

Melanie Mark, MLA for Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­Mount Pleasant spoke out about the incident as well: "To the racist haters/ cowards who vandalized Vancouver's Komagata Maru memorial- you’re still small. You’ll be remembered as losers."

Similarly, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­mayor Kennedy Stewart had strong words for the vandals: "This is disgusting and whoever did this is a coward. This memorial is about the perseverance of a community that has helped to build and shape our city. Nothing can erase that. We will remove the paint and the strength of Indo-Canadians will remain."

B.C. Premier John Horgan also voiced his disgust: "I’m deeply upset and angry about this ignorant act. My thoughts are with people in BC’s Punjabi community. We must understand our past to build a better future, and the names on this memorial deserve respect."

The outrage was also shared by three of the national party leaders currently on the campaign trail:

"The vandalism of the Komagata Maru Memorial in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­is a despicable act of hate. The memorial is a reminder of a dark chapter of racism in our history. Acts of hate like this have no place in our country and we will continue to fight against it," tweeted Liberal leader Justin Trudeau.

"It's absolutely disgraceful that the Komagata Maru Memorial was defaced as pictured in this video. This is an insult to those who were on the ship and their families. I hope to see those responsible held accountable," said Conservative leader Erin O'Toole.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh also spoke out: "The Komagata Maru represents a painful part of our history. This act of vandalism is wrong and it's hurtful. This memorial embodies the perseverance and resilience of a community – that will remain long after the paint has been removed."

Green party leader Annamie Paul did not tweet about the Komagata Maru vandalism.

A clean-up effort was launched swiftly.