Statue of Sir John A. Macdonald hidden, boarded up in Toronto

The statue of Sir John A. Macdonald that stands outside Queen's Park in Toronto has been boarded up in order to protect it from vandalism.

Toronto's Macdonald statue has been boarded up with wood and his statue has been covered with a black bag, according to the Toronto Sun.

This decision was taken after a statue of Canada's father of confederation was pulled down in Montreal this weekend by those protesting racial injustice. This demonstration was broadly condemned by the mayor of Montreal, the premier of Quebec and the prime minister who called the vandalism "disappointing."

Macdonald's statue in Toronto has been the target of protestors before. On July 18 of this year, the statue had pink paint thrown over it.

Macdonald is widely considered by protestors to be a symbol of British colonialism and racial injustice, in spite of the fact that he modernized this country significantly. As well as this, Canada would have not achieved confederation without his leadership.

Premier Doug Ford and Ontario's Sergeant-at-Arms have not yet commented on the decision to cover-up the statue of Canada's first prime minister.

On Monday, the new Conservative leader was quick to speak out against the beheading of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in Montreal's Place du Canada, saying "Canada wouldn't exist without Sir John A. Macdonald."

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"MacDonald defended the rights of black Canadians, extended voting rights to many First Nations (later repealed by the Liberals) and was one of the world’s first proponents of universal suffrage for women," Gunn continued.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