BREAKING: Sir John A. MacDonald statue vandalized in downtown Toronto

Sir John A. MacDonald was the first Canadian prime minister and is widely considered to be the father of the country.

MacDonald is viewed by protestors and vandals as someone who held unfavourable anti-indigenous policies, and statues dedicated to him are said to be symbols of colonialism and hatred.

A statue dedicated to the first prime minister was also defaced in Montreal just over a week ago, with vandals painting the statue red, with one protester saying: "The MacDonald Monument is the Canadian equivalent of a racist, Confederate statue in the United States."

"It stands as a symbol of colonialism and the subjugation of Indigenous peoples. The MacDonald Monument celebrates an individual whose policies are directly responsible for the genocide of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and the celebration of white supremacy."

This viewpoint, however, is not universally taken by Canadians. Conservative Commentator Aaron Gunn said that "without John A. MacDonald this country would likely not even exist. He was also remarkably progressive for his time."

"MacDonald Defended the rights of Black Canadians, extended voting rights to many First Nations (later repealed by the Liberals) and was one of the world’s first proponents of universal suffrage for women," he continued.

Statues have been pulled down and defaced across North America and abroad, with protesters and vandals charging each statue as commemorating historical figures who held unfavorable views concerning racism and colonialism.

The Post Millennial reached out to the Sergeant-at-Arms at the Legislative Assembly in Ontario who said, "On June 12th 2020 at 3:56 a.m. graffiti was painted on base of the Sir John A MacDonald statue located on the precinct grounds of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The female suspect used an orange spray paint. The Toronto Police were dispatched but the female suspect was not apprehended."