WATCH: Vandals used red spray paint on several tombstones and the altar. Monica Martinez has the story.
Victoria’s Chinese Cemetery is a National Historic Site, over 100 years old, and a special place for a lot of people.
“My grandfather is buried here and I come here and visit him often, and it’s something we treasure in the community,” said Victoria city councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe.
But vandals have disrespected the sacred grounds, marking several tombstones and the altar with graffiti.
“I think it’s just a senseless, stupid act that somebody perpetrated without thinking of the consequences and it’s unfortunate,” Thornton-Joe said.
Oak Bay Police say the markings appeared Thursday morning. They canvassed the neighbourhood but haven’t identified any suspects.
“Often people who are doing this type of thing have a hard time keeping it to themselves, so who knows, something may come forward,” said Oak Bay Police Chief Andy Brinton.
Police say they haven’t had vandalism calls here in years. They say the graffiti doesn’t appear to be racially motivated and they are calling this an act of mischief.
“You know, there could be fines or worst case scenario there is jail time,” Brinton said.
The cemetery is a scenic place attracting people looking for a peaceful walk by the ocean. People here today say it’s shameful.
“To deface something that is such a special and meaningful place and has so much history and everything here, it seems foolish and silly like most vandalism does,” said resident Carol Stretch.
“It is such a special place to all the people who have their ancestors buried here. It’s very sad,” said resident Alix Athey.
Thornton-Joe says removing the graffiti will be tricky, the stone is very fine and they don’t want to cause further damage.
“The impact is far greater than just the fun they may have had when they defaced the property.”
She says if the people who did this feel any remorse, she would love their help in the cleanup.
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