Statue of Egerton Ryerson toppled after hundreds rally in downtown Toronto

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

The statue of Egerton Ryerson, one of the architects of the residential school system in Canada, was toppled and vandalized Sunday evening following a demonstration in downtown Toronto to honour the lives of 215 Indigenous children whose remains were found buried in Kamloops, B.C.

The act occurred amid calls from Indigenous professors and students to change the university’s name and remove Ryerson’s statue from campus for his role in the creation of Canada’s residential school system.

It is not known how the statue was brought down, but a video posted to Twitter shows what appears to be a rope tied to the figure and people cheering as it comes tumbling down.

Other social media posts showed photos of pictures of the statue on its side on the ground. CBC News has not verified the contents of the video or confirmed who filmed it.

Toronto police say they are aware of the incident and they will be investigating.

Earlier Sunday, hundreds of people rallied in Toronto in honour of the children whose remains were discovered — using ground-penetrating radar technology — at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, buried in unmarked sites. Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in B.C. announced the preliminary results of their findings late last month.

In a tweet before the demonstration, Toronto police urged calm. 

“While we appreciate that recent events have had a traumatic impact, we cannot tolerate acts of vandalism/violence. Officers will be on site to ensure the safety of everyone involved and will investigate/enforce as necessary.”

At the afternoon rally, people listened to speakers at the Ontario Legislature, then walked east to the university where the statue is located. There was drumming and singing, and at that point, the statue was still standing.

Last week, the statue was vandalized and splattered with red paint. At the foot of the statue, people have placed hundreds of pairs of shoes to commemorate the children whose lives were lost at the Kamloops Indian Residential  School. 

Following the Kamloops discovery, Indigenous students at the university called on fellow students, faculty and alumni to stop using the name Ryerson in their email signatures, correspondence and on their resumes, urging them instead to call the school X University.

A statue of Egerton Ryerson was vandalized with red paint and graffiti last week. (CBC)

In a statement posted to Twitter before the statue was felled, the university said: “We share in the grief and sorrow of our community at the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children near Kamloops, and acknowledge that further and ongoing reconciliation is of vital importance.”

It also said a task force created to examine Ryerson’s legacy and collect feedback from community members is committed to delivering a final report, including recommendations regarding the statue and name of the university, before the fall semester.

More to come. 

Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools, and those who are triggered by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.