Giant flag at Themuseum damaged
KITCHENER — The giant Canadian flag, hanging on the front of Themuseum in downtown Kitchener, may have to come down after to an apparent act of vandalism over the Canada Day weekend.
A black substance has dripped down the face of the flag from the rooftop.
“We are working with people who created and erected the flag for us to see if it can be cleaned or if we’ll have to take it down,” David Marskell, chief executive officer of Themuseum, said Monday.
On Saturday morning, Marskell said, a six-foot-by-six-foot banner was hung from the rooftop in front of the massive Canada flag, which went up Feb. 28.
The message on the second banner, draped across the top of the maple leaf, read, “150+YEARS OF RESISTANCE #UNSETTLING 150.”
Marskell saw the banner as he arrived at Themuseum in advance of a citizenship ceremony for 21 new Canadians on Canada Day.
He said that by the time he parked, the banner and been removed and is now in possession of Themuseum. The banner, he said, will be added to the current exhibition “A Cause for Celebration? First Things First,” which explores the relationship between 23 Canadian prime ministers and the Aboriginal community.
“I don’t agree with everything that happened,” Marskell said of the banner that was hanging in front of the Canadian flag. “But I’m pleased that Themuseum was sort of chosen as that place for conversation and dialogue, especially with the backdrop of the exhibition we have.”
Marskell said he doesn’t now who hung the banner in front of the giant flag.
“I do not know who is responsible. I know they were very clever and creative. They made it onto the roof of that building.”
A local radio station snapped a picture of the hanging banner before it was removed and posted it on social media. Marskell said a Mountie at the citizenship ceremony encouraged him to report the incident to local police, in case “further protest” might follow.
Marskell said an officer attended, took some notes and took a look at the banner.