Protesters topple Sir John A. Macdonald statue in downtown Hamilton
The statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in downtown Hamilton's signature park toppled over Saturday afternoon under the chorus of impassioned protesters.
About 200 people gathered in Gore Park to watch the bronze likeness of Canada's first prime minister be ripped from its concrete bearings and thump onto the grass.
It's a relief," said an emotional Jordan Carrier, who is a Cree woman and longtime Hamiltonian. I think we knew it was going to come down one way or another."
The historical incident comes about a month after city council shot down a motion to temporarily remove the 128-year-old statue and place it in storage pending a review of city-owned landmarks.
Council heard several delegations and received roughly 1,000 letters asking for the statue's removal. The motion was rejected in 12-3 vote.
Calls to rid monuments to Macdonald - who played a major role in establishing the notorious residential school system - have mounted for months amid the recent discoveries of thousands of unmarked graves at former sites in Canada.
The rejection at council was the impetus for a large rally in the city hall forecourt around noon Saturday, where hundreds of people clad in orange shirts gathered to protest the lopsided vote.
Following more than a half-dozen speeches - including an ardent one from Hamilton Centre MP Matthew Green - protesters were encouraged to march to the statue and lay pieces of cedar at its feet, an Indigenous tradition used as a healing and protective practice.
The removal lasted just minutes. A person from the crowd climbed a ladder and tied rope around the statue's neck three or four times. Dozens below then forcefully tugged at each end of the rope and pulled it down.
The statue was spray-painted in red and left face-up with pieces of cedar scattered over it. A boisterous crowd watched on as one person took an angle grinder to the statue's face and another beat down on it with a hammer.
For Amber Carrier, an Indigenous woman who witnessed the incident alongside her young child, the removal stands as a symbolic" moment.
Our elected leaders didn't see that things needed to happen, but it's nice to see that the community does," she said.
It's kind of symbolic that the little people got together and said, Hey, you guys did wrong and we're going to correct it for you.' It shows people do have power and do have a say."
A teary-eyed Roxanne Johnson agreed - in part.
It's good it's down, but more needs to be done," said Johnson, whose parents were sent to the Mohawk Institute Residential School. What's going to happen to it now? Are they going to move it? Are they going to put it back up?"
City spokesperson Jacqueline Durlov said the statue will be relocated and temporarily housed in storage until council reviews the situation and makes a decision."
Hamilton police have launched a criminal probe into the statue's removal, said Staff Sgt. Paul Corrigan. There have yet to be any arrests.
Gore Park has been cordoned off as city staff and police investigate. A scene is expected to be held until late Saturday.
Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com