Two more Catholic churches on Indigenous land in B.C.’s Interior burned to the ground early Saturday morning.
The latest were located on reserves in the Similkameen Valley, and come just days after two Catholic churches burned down on Indigenous land in the southern Okanagan.
Chief Keith Crow, of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, said St. Ann’s Church on the Chuchuwayha reserve in Hedley and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band church, the Chopaka Church, were destroyed by fire at about 4 a.m.
He said the fires were suspicious and “possibly” linked to the other two in the Okanagan.
VANCOUVER Two more Catholic churches on First Nations reserve land in B.C. have burned to the ground. The churches, both in the Similkameen region, went up in flames early Saturday morning and both were destroyed completely, say Penticton RCMP. RCMP say that just before 4 a.m. they received a call about a fire at St. Ann s Church, which is located just east of Hedley on Upper Similkameen Indian Band land. Then at 4:45 a.m. they got a call about a fire at Chopaka Church on Lower Similkameen Indian Band land, just east of Keremeos. The fires come on the heels of similar incidents on June 21, when two other Catholic churches in B.C. were burned to the ground. One was on Osoyoos Indian Band reserve and the other on the Penticton Indian Band reserve.
Two more Catholic churches burn down on Indigenous land in southern B.C. St. Ann s Church in Hedley and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band church were destroyed by fire at about 4 a.m. Saturday.
Author of the article: Tiffany Crawford
Publishing date: Jun 26, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 3 minute read • June 26, 2021 The Chopaka Church, on the land of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, was burned to the ground overnight. It is one of four Catholic churches on Indigenous land that have been torched in recent days. Photo by Jen Louie /PNG
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Two more Catholic churches on Indigenous land in B.C.’s Interior burned to the ground early Saturday morning.
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Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
The fires at St Ann s Church and the Chopaka Church began within in an hour of each other in British Columbia.
Officers said both buildings were completely destroyed, and that they are treating the fires as suspicious .
Last Monday two other Catholic churches in the province were destroyed in fires, as Canada marked National Indigenous People s Day. The investigations into the previous fires and these two new fires are ongoing with no arrests or charges, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Jason Bayda said.
It comes as hundreds of unmarked graves have been discovered at sites of former residential schools in Canada.
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