Veterans outraged after war memorial desecrated

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Bill Black, of the Korean War Veterans Association, stands near the Monument to Canadian Fallen in Ottawa, Tuesday, July 22, 2008. View larger image
A war memorial in Ottawa, dedicated to Korean War veterans, was found smeared with human feces Monday, July 21, 2008. (Courtesy Ottawa Sun)

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Bill Black, a veteran of 33 years, looks at where the desecration is still evident on the memorial even after cleaning in Ottawa, Tuesday, July 22, 2008.



Veterans outraged after war memorial desecrated

Updated Tue. Jul. 22 2008 5:41 PM ET
ottawa.ctv.ca
Veterans say they are outraged after a Canadian war memorial dedicated to Korean War veterans was desecrated and smeared with human feces at the Mackenzie King Bridge in downtown Ottawa Monday afternoon.

The memorial is inscribed with the names of 516 Canadian soldiers who never returned after serving in Korea and represents more than 32,000 Canadians who served in the Korean War.

For former soldiers who served next to those who lost their lives in combat, the memorial's defacement is a disgrace.

"When I heard about it, I had to temper my anger and try to rationalize as to how it happened," Bill Black, a veteran of 33 years, told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday.

The National Capital Commission, which is responsible for maintaining the condition of the war memorial, says staff cleaned up the mess that desecrated the monument within an hour of its discovery.

The incident, however, is not the first to occur in the nation's capital. In the summer of 2006, three young men were photographed urinating on the National War Memorial on Elgin Street.

"This, to me, is even worse because we're losing so many of our own soldiers and it's not showing very much respect," one resident told CTV Ottawa.

The latest defacement is now fuelling renewed calls for more to be done to protect monuments dedicated to the memory of Canada's fallen soldiers.

"We really want to find measures that will provide a secure site for visitors but also a positive experience so that people can enjoy the monuments," said Chantal Comeau of the National Capital Commission.

"I hope that we can do something about it that it never, ever recurs," said Black.


With a report from CTV Ottawa's Jonathan Rotondo

Please Add Comments(27)

Steve in Ottawa
When apprehended, the perpetrators will be found to have greater psychological problems greater than any political statement they are attempting to make.


Gerald E. James.
Bring back the lash!
These jerks who do this damage to our memorials deserve to rot in hell!
There is no excuse for this kind of nonsense.


Paul
this is just sick.

if this clown is caught i hope that the law actually does something more than a $50 fine and slap on the wrist.

1000 hours community service and a formal apology to the various legions within the community sounds good to me.


Lesley
To all our Canadian veterans and soldiers:
I apologize. I can't begin to describe my disgust upon reading this article. Please do not look upon this incident as a representation of Canada's citizens. There are few people on earth I'm prouder of than our former and present Canadian soldiers.


Ernie
Find them and draft them.


John
Paul. I agree with you 100%. It's time the legal system stepped up to the plate and dished out proper punishment for the crime.


Frank Grimm
Disgusting!
Some people just assume that their freedoms are far reaching and there are no consequences for their actions. It's time for harsh laws for anyone who deserates a war memorial. After all, these memorials honour those who have payed the ultimate sacrafice. In Australia it's illegal to even sit on the steps of the Anzac Memorial in Sydney. Time for Canada to start doing the same. Be proud of your vets. They have given so much of their lives so you can enjoy your own.


Hatchet
As a veteran that served in Afghanistan and Iraq and a father that served in Korea, I genuinely hope that whoever is responsible for this is caught and the appropriate punishment is meted. A crime of this order, deserves incarceration - yes, even for a first offense. The citizen pride of Canada appears to be in decline. Our veterans have never had the luxury of forgetting.. .


Don
The reason these vandals do this is to provoke a reaction that they probably won't have to answer to. Install some webcam security and let's catch a few in the act. It is also not "cool" to be in the army, navy or air force. Those who have the stones to serve, in the past, or now in the environment of terrorism should have all of our respect. The coffee house cowards don't have the 'nards to sass a living soldier in the light of day. Sneaking around in the dark to smear a handful of shit on a place of honour is about as low as you can go. I suggest a 6 month sentence for each offense, to be served in Afghanistan. ...


Jarret
We've all heard it before, they should be given a choice of a lengthy jail sentence (in the range of 2 years) or drafted into the military as an infantryman with an obligation to do a 6 month tour in Afganistan. With the condition that they put forth an effort and pass the qualifications to serve in the military. Knowing most bleeding heart Canadians, many would consider this to be cruel and unusual punishment.


R D
Can they not take DNA from the fecal matter, in order to help determine who it belongs to. I find the desecration of any statute disgusting. I guess whoever did this, was never taught as a youngster what statutes are all about, why we have them, who they honour. SHAME ON THE PERPETRATORS OF THIS DISGUSTING ACT.


Cam
It is not normal, even for vandals, to handle human excrement. It is a taboo that even the worst of us just doesn't seem to cross. My guess is that this individual is one of the many mentally ill that roam the streets of downtown. Which would make this doubly sad.


Dennis L. Krahn
I was taught that if one decides to bring children into the world there are a number of responsibilities that go along with this exercise.

One of these responsibilities is to instill in your off spring a deep respect for men and women who serve our nation and put themselves in harms way to defend what others have fought, died and worked for.

Instead of blaming deviant behaviour on all manner of psychological problems, parents should be held accountable for their brats unacceptable actions.




Perry
Very sad to know there those in our Society who know nothing of respect. Shame .


Tom Downie, Jr.
i am appalled, my father served in Korea. I hope the people that did this are caught and have to face some of the veterans who fought there and hear of their sacrifices. thank god, my father came home alive, he was one of the lucky ones. People, especially young people, have to be taught to honor our history and the sacrifice made by our members in the armed forces.


Ian
This is absolutely sickening that any "punk" or other "ill minded" person would do such a disrespectful act. We owe the ultimate respect to the men and women who served and continue to serve our country proudly in defending our freedoms. To those who did it SHAME ON YOU and may you face severe punishment when you are apprehended.


Sean
Does it take away from the sacrifices made and the immense regard we have for our veterans past and present?

No.

It means nothing. Getting worked up about it is a waste of time and more than the perps deserve.


Red X
Looks pretty nasty. I guess the investigators have some DNA evidence.

I remember all the rage when some drunks peed and posed for the photos in Ottawa a couple years ago.

Oddly enough the Korean War is technically not over...yet.


Steph in NB
What are Canadians coming to? This is disgusting and disrespectful. Cananda is known as a great country, however our younger generation (assuming this was done by someone under 30) is ruining that reputation. First religious sites and monuments, now War Memorials, what's next, Parliament itself???


Chris
I highly doubt that this was a "political statement" of some kind... in fact I bet the kid who did it doesn't even remember that he did it.


Outraged
I am just furious....

This was not a political statement or a protest for an injustice,real or imagined.... .

It was a filthy vile and sick act with no objective other than to vilify, degrade and demean these soldiers that served and gave their lives for freedom

Feces does contain DNA and I hope that every effort is made by law enforcement to hunt down these pieces of human garbage that did this!

Then, for the sake of every old (and young) soldier that has and is at present serving this country in far away lands, pass a law that anyone defacing or desecrating these monuments be subject to a minimum of seven years....

Please! Don't let this fade away as just another childish prank....show everyone how much we all respect our guys and gals that wear our Maple leaf so proudly for us and get these people and punish them severely.

Please !


Allan Eizinas
Much ado about nothing.

I believe that once this incident is finally analyzed and the "culprit(s)" are located that the result will be a recommendation for more public washrooms. Memorials, statues and commemorative structures are usually located in poorly lit areas, in or near to parks. People on drugs and/or drunk gravitate to these areas when they have to relieve themselves.

While the headline used the word "smeared" it appears to me that someone was leaning forwards while backing on to this structure and relieved him/her self.

I seriously doubt that it was a political statement or some attempt to demean the armed forces or those being honored by the memorial. I think that it is a case of someone needing to relieve themselves quickly.

While the act is biologically necessary, the fact that it was done in public is disgusting. The fact that it included a memorial that is important to a large number of individuals makes it deplorable.

But there is a positive note - the publicity will be used to reinforce the demand by those who are demanding 24 hr guards and supervision for these military memorials.



Dale
Cam, I know of break-ins where the pigs have left their calling card like that on the kitchen floor.They get a kick out of it. I agree, if caught, they go to jail or the army.


Faryn
For those who want to see these idiots drafted: As a former soldier myself, I wouldn't want them serving with me. I would rather serve with one person who asked to be at my side, than ten who were compelled to be there.

What they need is community service, preferably at a legion, or a hospital where our wounded recover. Let them see, first hand, what the names on our memorials are there for.

If they want to protest, that's fine. If they want to talk poorly of those in uniform, so be it. If they want to advocate for our withdrawal from Afghanistan, the dismantling of our military, etc., that's fine. These things are all their right to do.

I don't need their support. However, is it too much to ask for their respect?


Peter
Sometimes no media coverage is the best way to deal with this sort of nonsense. The hooligans are thus deprived of the coveted publicity and "celebrity status". The media hype over this will only encourage others to follow suit.


ME
I agree with you Chris. This was not a political or any other statement. I'll bet it was done by punks whose parents never taught them what it was to respect something. I'll bet they thought it was funny or a joke. What they and others like them need to get is community service that teaches respect and be forced to listen to veterans tell what it was like in battle. Some will never learn but others may.


PB
A testament to what our society has become. We teach no respect, we learn not to respect. The police are viewed as the bad guys, the criminals and punks are treated as victims. Im sure if they are caught they will be given a good "time out" and those that caught them will be repremanded for infringing on someones rights. I respect our veterans as they come from a time when duty and honour meant something and for the memorial to be desecrated by morons with non of these values makes me sick.






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