Statues at Queen's Park to be wrapped to protect against vandalism, house speaker says

Statues on the grounds of the Ontario Legislature will be covered in wrapping to protect them from vandalism ahead of expected protests at Queen’s Park this spring.

The decision comes after $5,000 in damage was done to the George Brown monument on the grounds during a March 4 protest over the government's changes to post-secondary funding, according to House Speaker Donna Skelly.

Skelly said the sergeant-at-arms, who oversees security at the legislature, recommended the additional protection ahead of what are anticipated to be further demonstrations.

“This is a proactive move to prevent any further damage if protestors do break the law and apply any graffiti to anything on the grounds,” she said.

All eight statues on the legislature grounds will be wrapped by staff in the coming days. The protection will be in place ahead of the start of the legislative session next week.

“As long as we have protestors who may be breaking the law, I’m assuming they will continue to wrap the statues,” Skelly said, adding that the wraps are considered a “short-term measure.”

“I don’t know if there is a cost to wrapping the statues, but I can tell you there is a cost to cleaning the statues," Skelly said. "It was $5,000. If you multiply that by eight, it’s just money that taxpayers shouldn’t have to spend.”

Earlier this month, hundreds of students rallied outside of the legislature protesting recent changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The post-secondary financial aid system will go from a majority-grant structure to a majority-loan structure in the new school year. 

Some protestors defaced the Brown statue with a bright pink scrawl, criticizing Premier Doug Ford.

“People are welcome to come here to Queen’s Park," Skelly said. "This is where you come to express your opinion and to protest, but you have to follow the rules. You cannot break the law.”

A 22-year-old man was charged with mischief under $5,000 for allegedly vandalizing the Brown monument. Police alleged they caught the man in the act and that when they attempted to arrest him, another man spat on an officer. That man was charged with assault.

Skelly said she hopes the protests at Queen’s Park this spring are peaceful.

“We just want to make sure that our property is protected, but more importantly, people who work here, the members, and anybody who is visiting Queen’s Park, is safe,” she said.

It’s not clear why protestors targeted the Brown statue, which sits outside the main doors of the legislature. Brown was a Father of Confederation and one of the founders of the newspaper that eventually became the Globe and Mail.