A Catholic church located on Indigenous land in Nova Scotia was set ablaze. This comes after a handful of similar targeted attacks on Catholic communities across Canada.
The RCMP says it is investigating the fire, which took place at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church on Sipekne'katik First Nation in Nova Scotia, according to CBC.
Cpl. Chris Marshall, a spokesperson for the police, said that the fire department and the Indian Brook RCMP were dispatched to the church at 4:20 am local time.
The Katilin Healing and Cultural Centre, which is attached to the church, suffered damage, according to a spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth. Thankfully, no one was injured.
A number of Catholic churches have been the victims of arson and vandalism, including the St. Jean Baptiste Parish near Edmonton on Wednesday morning, following the discovery of unmarked graves in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
Many feel like this is targeted hate, prompting many Indigenous leaders to denounce the hateful actions against catholic communities. They reminded people that some Indigenous peoples remain devout Catholics.
The church fires have also devastated survivors of residential schools, according to Global News. 90-year-old Elder Carrie Allison of the Upper Similkameen Indian Band (USIB) said that a now burned down church in BC had been important part of the community.
Most of Canada's politicians have chosen to remain silent on the arson and vandalism of Catholic Churches, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.