City of Kitchener won't remove red paint on Queen Victoria Statue right away

The City of Kitchener has no immediate plans to clean up red paint that was thrown at a statue of Queen Victoria in downtown's Victoria Park.

"Rather than clean the paint yesterday, the city wanted to pause out of respect for Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & People," said spokesperson Bethany Rowland in a statement Friday. 

Rowland said the city will consider how to deal with the paint in the coming days, with an eye to "meaningful reconciliation." 

Waterloo regional police confirmed they're investigating the incident. It's the third time this type of vandalism has occurred: police say they were called twice last year after red paint was thrown on the statue on Canada Day and on August 15. 

"I think if it keeps happening, people are trying to say something," said Land Back Camp co-founder Amy Smoke, who is Mohawk Nation Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River.

"I think because yesterday was Red Dress Day, it's very symbolic of the staggering numbers of murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls and two spirit [people]."

Smoke thinks the red paint could be seen as educational, and reflective of the "true history" of her reign. Victoria reigned over the United Kingdom from 1837 until her death in 1901, a period marked by the unparalleled expansion of the British Empire.

On the whole, Smoke doesn't support the naming of public spaces and institutions after colonial figures. 

"I'd love to see the statue gone completely and the park renamed," Smoke said. 

Wilfrid Laurier University student Anne Marie Beals, who is Mi'kmaq, said actions speak louder than words. If the city wants to move forward with reconciliation, Beals said that means giving land back. 

"Land back for Land Back Camp to have a permanent space, there's a lot of consideration around a community hub at the old Charles Street bus terminal, so what about that as an example?" said Beals.