Chatham-Kent police say approximately 1000 pro-life crosses were vandalized over the weekend.
Sometime late Saturday or early Sunday morning, unknown suspect(s) knocked over the white wooden crosses in a field along Longwoods Road.
The crosses were planted on Nov. 28 by the youth group of the Eben-Ezer Canadian Reformed Chuch in Chatham.
Youth leader Diane Bergsma says the crosses were erected to bring about awareness on how many Canadian lives were lost to abortion each year.
She says they were upset the signs were knocked down.
“Not only is in on private property, it is also the teens felt very strongly about the issue. It was a challenge to their freedom of their expression,” says Bergsma.
She says Canada is the only country in the western world without abortion laws and only China and North Korea are in the same company. The group meets regularly with local MPs.
“We are definitely going to re-erect the memorial,” says Bergsma. “They are disheartened that someone would react this way.”
The members of the youth group range in age from 13 to 17, but she says it’s not about them, it’s about the message.
“We felt very respectful and allowed for other people’s opinion,” she says.
The group hopes to re-erect the crosses this Saturday. They are inviting anyone from the community to help them. Anyone who comes out is asked to bring a non-perishable food item or a donation of a baby supplies to Refuge centre in Chatham.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Const. Rich Fischer at richardf@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600 extension #84982. Anonymous callers may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and may be eligible for a cash reward.
