Two more Catholic churches burn down on Indigenous land

According to the National Post, these two churches are located in the Similkameen Valley and are destroyed just days after two other churches were burned down in the southern Okanagan.

Chief Keith Crow, of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, said St. Ann’s Church on the Chuchuwayha reserve in Hedley and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band church, the Chopaka Church, were destroyed by fire at about 4 a.m. He also remarked the fire was suspicious and possibly linked to the other two churches.

Also similarly to the other two churches, the fires were almost simultaneous and in the middle of the night. RCMP responded at 4 am to St. Ann’s Catholic Church, while the Keremeos RCMP responded at 4:45 am about the Chopaka Catholic Church on the Lower Similkameen Indian Band.

Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed anyone or any vehicle in the area of either church in the early hours of Saturday to contact the Penticton RCMP Detachment at 250-492-4300.