Buddha vandal accused of threatening repeat
An Ottawa man who pleaded guilty to vandalizing a Buddhist statue in 2019 has been charged with threatening to deface it again.
The Ottawa police hate crime section say they began investigating a threat to the statue, outside Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery on Heron Road, on Tuesday and laid two charges Wednesday.
Lance Crossley, 48, is charged with uttering a threat to damage property and breach of a recognizance. Police say Crossley pleaded guilty in April 2019 to a mischief charge after the same outdoor statue was struck with a piece of wood, leaving damage around the head.
That was the third time the Buddha representation was hit. In March 2018, the statue was decapitated by a vandal and damaged again in May of that year. The monastery, reacting to the threats, had raised $7,000 to install surveillance cameras.
In the second and third incidents, the footage was given to police. The statue, valued at about $8,000, was a gift from Sri Lanka.
In April 2019, a monk noticed the piece of wood on the ground with the biblical message: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Damage was soon spotted to the Buddha’s ear. Video footage revealed a person had struck the white statue at about 1:30 a.m.
At the time, religious leaders expressed unease about the vandalism and worried it could lead to something more serious.
Police say a condition of Crossley’s plea last year was to keep the peace and stay away from the monastery.
The chief incumbent monk in the community, Rev. Nugegalayaye Jinananda, said they were contacted by police on Tuesday with the news that a threat to the statue had been emailed to police. He also said police visited the facility to ensure everyone was safe and that security precautions were being taken.
“We are not worried about this threat because the man has been arrested and a court case is going on. We believe that police have taken necessary measures to prevent it. We further hope that they continue to work on our security,” the reverend wrote in an email reply.
Crossley appeared in court Wednesday.