Queen Victoria statue on Manitoba Legislature grounds covered with white and red paint overnight

A statue of Queen Victoria outside the Manitoba Legislative Building was covered with paint on Tuesday night.

Early Wednesday afternoon, a provincial spokesperson said a cleanup was completed after the statue was "splashed" with paint overnight, and that the incident was reported to police.

"Staff are unaware if this type of situation has taken place in the past, and are always looking at ways to respect the safety of people on site and ensure the safety of the site itself," the spokesperson said in an email.

Earlier Wednesday, graffiti crews were cleaning the statue. A photo taken earlier in the day and shared with CBC showed white paint covering the head of the statue and red paint over its mouth.

The incident follows the defacing of other statues commemorating colonial figures in recent weeks, including one of former Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald in Prince Edward Island and another of English explorer Capt. George Vancouver in British Columbia.

In light of anti-racism protests, there have been many calls across Canada, and around the world, in recent weeks to remove statues and monuments depicting colonial figures.

The statue, which sits on the legislature grounds facing Broadway, was created by sculptor George Frampton and was unveiled on Oct. 1, 1904, at a cost of $15,000 at the time, according to a walking tour guidebook on the province's website.

The statue depicts Queen Victoria, holding a sceptre in her right hand and an orb in her left. She was ruler of the British Empire for much of the 19th century: a period when Manitoba became a province and treaties were negotiated with First Nations in Western Canada, the guidebook notes.

"This statue was erected to commemorate the gratitude of the Canadian people for political liberties obtained under [Queen Victoria's] reign," it says.

An article in the Winnipeg Daily Tribune on Oct. 3, 1904, describes a large crowd of people and members of the military gathering despite rainy weather to see the "imposing ceremony" where the statue was unveiled by Premier Rodmond Roblin. 

People applauded as Lt.-Gov. Sir D. H. McMillan spoke of how the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 caused feelings of "grief and sorrow to overcome the people of a great and mighty empire."

Queen Victoria statue targeted

4 years ago

Duration 1:31

A statue of Queen Victoria outside the Manitoba Legislative Building was covered with paint on Tuesday night.

'People want to re-evaluate history'

The fact the statue of Queen Victoria was targeted isn't surprising, said Gordon Goldsborough, president of the Manitoba Historical Society. 

"[It] is simply another example of where people want to re-evaluate history. And that's not a bad thing," Goldsborough said. 

"She was the monarch, of course, when the treaties were negotiated. They were all negotiated in her name. And in fact, there was an expression that people referred to her as 'the Great White Mother.' She was sort of seen as the symbol of Canadian government."

Behind Queen Victoria's throne, the statue also commemorates St. George, England's patron saint, the provincial guidebook says.

"He stands crowned with a dove (symbolizing peace) and holds a sword, ready to defend what was then the British Empire and to protect religious freedom," it says.

The statue recognizes Queen Victoria's 1897 Diamond Jubilee, and was paid for with public and private funds — although no individual was allowed to donate more than $5, the guidebook says.

At a news conference held to discuss enhancements to family law services on Wednesday, Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen called the vandalism of the statue "very disturbing."

"[I'm] clearly disappointed to see that. I know that police will be investigating that and we certainly look forward to the outcomes of the investigation, but again, just complete nonsense that this type of vandalism has to occur," Cullen said.

"There's no room for that kind of nonsense in Manitoba, and hopefully we can find the culprits and they will face the full extent of the legal system here in Manitoba."