OTTAWA, ON -The “Freedom Convoy” that rode into Canada’s capital city of Ottawa has given an opportunity to show Canadians the darker side of the Canadian demonstrators. From the defacing of Canadian Terry Fox to Nazi Propaganda flag waving on Parliament Hill, the ultimate show of disrespect came at the National War Memorial. While protestors parked vehicles and danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa’s downtown core it could be understood that Canada’s Legion stood strongly against the actions of certain protestors at the weekend political rally.
Tomb is a historic monument which began through Royal Canadian Legion
The tomb was added to the National War Memorial in 2000, the culmination of a project begun by the Royal Canadian Legion. Since 2007, the Canadian Armed Forces have posted sentries at the tomb, and the National War Memorial, from April to November.
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. It is a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S. and Europe. With 250,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches it has become a meeting spot and place of gathering for Canada’s war heroes and relatives.
Strong Condemnation from Royal Canadian Legion
From these actions came a strong condemnation by The Royal Canadian Legion who “strongly condemns the shocking actions of protestors who encroached upon the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Saturday”. They jumped on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and parked vehicles on the surrounding grounds. This sacred memorial site commemorates those who fought and fell for the very freedoms that allow people in Canada the right to protest peacefully. We are dismayed and saddened by this overt lack of respect.”
The head of Canada’s military criticized protesters associated with the Freedom Convoy for dancing and drinking on the site of the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa on Saturday. “Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this.”, said Chief of the Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre after a video shared on Twitter showed protesters drinking, shouting and dancing at the memorial, drawing outrage from members of the military and others online.
I am sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial. Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this. Those involved should hang their heads in shame.
General / Général Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff
The tomb is dedicated to Canadian service members, and holds the remains of an unidentified Canadian soldier who died in France during the First World War; selected from a Commonwealth War Grave near Vimy, in the vicinity where the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place.
At the time of this writing, however, there have been no reports of violence or injuries at the demonstrations.
