Sir John A. Macdonald statue found vandalized on his birthday

Kingston police say graffiti could be part of an effort to smear the Idle No More movement

The Canadian Press

Posted: Jan 11, 2013 4:45 PM ET

Last Updated: Jan 11, 2013 6:15 PM ET

City of Kingston employees remove graffiti on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, in City Park on Friday. (Lars Hagberg/Canadian Press)

A statue of Sir John A. Macdonald was found vandalized on the former prime minister's birthday today, and police in Kingston, Ont., are saying it may have been politically motivated.

The sculpture, located in a Kingston park, was splattered with red paint and the words "This is stolen land," "murderer" and "colonizer," as well as an expletive.

City crews are cleaning the statue, said Kingston police Const. Steve Koopman.

An event at the site of the statue to mark Macdonald's 198th birthday will continue as planned, Koopman added.

A forensics officer was sent to the scene to gather evidence, and Koopman said police will be canvassing the area.

Police aren't ruling out any possible connection with an Idle No More protest in Kingston, though there is no evidence to support it.

The graffiti could be part of an effort to smear the aboriginal movement, Koopman said.

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