Vandals deface Winnipeg military monuments

Canadian Press
Saturday, September 16, 2006

WINNIPEG (CP) — A Canadian war veteran is angry after vandals sprayed graffiti on three military monuments at historic Vimy Ridge Memorial Park.
John Reilly, 76, who served in the Korean war and is a service officer with the Royal Canadian Legion, said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the monuments to soldiers killed in combat defaced with bright silver paint.

“It’s disgraceful,” said Reilly, who helps organize a commemorative ceremony at the park each April honouring soldiers killed at the First World War battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

“It’s as bad as when that fellow out east urinated on the war monument.”Reilly was referring to an incident at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Canada Day, which sparked outrage from coast to coast. A City of Winnipeg spokesman said removing the graffiti is a priority.