Feces found on Canadian war memorial

[Every Breaking Wave]

Source

Veterans were shocked after a monument in downtown Ottawa dedicated to Canadians who fell during the Korean War was defaced with human feces.

The feces on the Monument to Canadian Fallen near Mackenzie King Bridge were found Monday afternoon and immediately cleaned up by the National Capital Commission, which is responsible for the monument.

But a stain remained Tuesday , said Bill Black, president of the Ottawa chapter of the Korean War Veterans' Association, who examined the monument.

"I was disgusted that someone could do something like that," he said, adding that he had never heard of anything like that happening to the monument before.

However, Black said after thinking about it, he believed it might be possible that the person who made the mess didn't know it was a war monument.

The benches surrounding the monument are a popular place for homeless people to lay out their sleeping bags and spend the night, he said. He wants the benches removed.

"To me it's hallowed ground," Black said. "It shouldn't be treated like that."

Korean War veteran Bill Black wants the benches removed from near the monument. He said homeless people sleep on them at night. (CBC)
In addition to the stain, Black said, he noticed that the lettering was fading on the plinth, the large stone from Korea that houses the monument.

Dignitaries, generals, ministers and the ambassador of the Republic of Korea all come to lay wreaths at the monument, he added.

"I don't want them there while the condition of that area is such as it is. We've got to get that cleaned up … it's a disgrace to the City of Ottawa and to the National Capital Commission."

Commission spokeswoman Chantal Comeau said Tuesday the NCC will conduct a study this summer to figure out how to discourage that kind of behaviour.

She said the NCC could consider removing the benches as suggested by Black.

"But we really want to find the right balance between creating a site that will be secure for all and but will also be inviting for people to come and stop by and look at this beautiful monument," she added.

Time for public washrooms: veteran
Les Peat, a Korean War veteran, had another suggestion: "Perhaps the time has come for the city to consider public washrooms in that particular area."

He recalled that on Canada Day in 2006, a few revellers were caught urinating on the National War Memorial. Many people head for the nearest wall when they have nowhere else to go, he said.

"Unfortunately, with the amount of military knowledge, the amount of education, the amount of respect in the younger generations," he said, "whether the wall happens to be the wall of the building or a memorial to the fallen makes little difference."

More than 32,000 Canadians served in Korea during and after the Korean War, which lasted between 1950 and 1953. Canadian troops remained in Korea until 1957. In all, 516 Canadians soldiers died there.

 

[Sapphyire77x]

Wow that's just demoralizing.

If it was the homeless... well nothing much could be done. If it was someone in their youth pulling a prank.. well that's just disrespectful.

 

[ShinyFlareon]

Since when does this generation know anything about respect? This is just sad, in my opinion...

 

[!Tommy]

That's disgusting!!! Not to mention outright piggish!! >:[

But, I will say this...it doesn't surprise me in the least. Why? Because some people are destructive. They don't care what it is or who it belongs to, they just do as they please. I always said, "How would THEY like it if we came to their house and did the same thing?" So for example if they wrote on the bathroom walls, I'd basically be saying, "How would they like it if we came to their house and wrote on the walls?" Same thing applies here as I see it. Where are these peoples brains?

 

[ferrari-kun187]

why would a person(s) do such a thing. that is just disrespectful.

 

[Wonder Happiny]

How utterly disgusting and disrespective people are getting in this day and age...