The statues on the grounds of Queen’s Park will be covered in temporary wrapping after some of them were vandalized by protesters earlier this month.
On March 4, the George Brown Statue located outside the front of the legislative building was covered in spray paint during a protest against planned changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
Images taken by CP24 at the time showed expletives scrawled in multiple locations on the monument in reference to Premier Doug Ford.
In a statement on Wednesday, House Speaker Donna Skelly said that the Sergeant-at-Arms has now recommended the temporary wrapping of all eight statues on the lawn to “prevent further damage” during a planned protest by the same group next week.
“Repairing vandalism costs taxpayers thousands of dollars—money that should not have to be spent,” she said. “I will always protect the right to peaceful protest on the grounds of the Ontario Legislature—but there will be zero tolerance for violence or lawbreaking.”
Toronto police made two arrests following the March 4 protest. One individual was accused of vandalizing the monument while a second was charged with assaulting a peace officer amid allegations he “spat on” an officer.
