Canada: Catholic Churches Burned Amid Unmarked Graves Outrage

Fires destroyed two Catholic churches in First nation reserves in Western Canada over the weekend, authorities reported. The incidents occurred amid widespread rejection to the catholic-led residential school system after 1000 unmarked graves have been discovered this month.

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The St Ann’s Church on Upper Similkameen Indian Band land, and the Chopaka Church on the grounds of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, built on wood and over a century old, were devastated completely.

The fires follow blazes in Catholic churches on June 21, as the police said it  is treating the incidents as "suspicious." The official Jason Bayda noted that "the (Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen) RCMP are treating both of these fires as suspicious and are looking to determine any possible connection to the church fires in both Penticton and Oliver on June 21, 2021."

"The investigations into the previous fires and these two new fires are ongoing with no arrests or charges," Bayda added.

In a statement, the chief and council of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band acknowledged the outrage that the recent findings have caused among Indigenous communities all across the country. "This is a symptom of the intergenerational trauma our survivors and intergenerational descendants are experiencing; there are supports to help deal with these emotions in a more healing way," the entity said.