Hamilton statue of Sir John A. Macdonald uncovered after being wrapped in fabric in protest

The statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in downtown Hamilton has been uncovered after spending three days under a piece of black fabric.

It was wrapped in material on Sunday during a gathering at Gore Park where Indigenous community members shared stories about residential schools and expressed frustration with the pace at which the city is responding to requests that the effigy be taken down.

A spokesperson for the city initially implied staff had removed the fabric in line with the city's bylaw for unauthorized markings or material on municipal property.

However, after CBC's story was published and shared on Twitter, a video that appears to show a person with their face covered climbing a ladder and pulling off the fabric, was posted in the comments.

When asked about the video Jen Recine, manager of communications for the city, apologized.

"The covering was scheduled for removal today, as per the city's process," she wrote in an email.

"However the city has been made aware that on Tuesday evening, several individuals climbed the Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Gore Park to remove the covering material."

Recine previously told CBC News that Hamilton has no plans to take down the statue.

"No removal of the statue, for temporary works in Gore Park or otherwise, has been scheduled," she said in an email on Sunday.

Jordan Carrier, a Plains Cree woman who helped organize the Sunday event in the park, said the statue was covered because it was a painful reminder of Canada's colonial history for Indigenous people in the city.

Macdonald was Canada's first prime minister and an architect of the residential school system.

"There are live human beings that are hurt by that image, his likeness down there," she said after it had been uncovered.

Not sure 'message is being heard'

Carrier said covering the statue was meant as a temporary measure to share that message.

"I'm annoyed and disappointed," she said.

"I don't know if that message is being heard because the city … hasn't really made it clear if they've heard us."

Carrier said part of her is "surprised" the statue stayed wrapped as long as it did.

Now that it's no longer shrouded, Indigenous community members will continue to walk past it every day, said Carrier.

Other cities, including Kingston and Charlottetown, have removed memorials to Macdonald following preliminary results from a survey of the grounds at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, which indicate the remains of more than 200 children could be buried at the site.

A report about reviewing city landmarks and monuments is expected to go before Hamilton's emergency and community services committee in July. But the "report will not be recommending any actions for any statues or any other landmarks in the city," Recine told CBC News.

Instead, if the committee and council approve that, it would simply begin the process to review the issue, she said.

People at the event on Sunday also placed more than 200 silhouettes of children around city hall, which appear to have been removed as well.

Carrier said her next step will be to share letter templates and encourage supporters to write to local elected officials to put pressure on them and stress that the statue should be removed so healing can begin.

"I haven't seen any uptake from any city councillors thinking this was important or any support that way," she said, adding she's like the timeline for a discussion about the statue's future to be moved up.

"I would like to see human lives matter over statues."