'Sheer disgrace': N.S. art memorializing soldiers defaced with swastika

Residents are upset after someone painted a swastika on a Remembrance Day memorial in Dartmouth, N.S., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013.

A community in Dartmouth, N.S., is outraged after public art memorializing Canada’s war dead was defaced with a symbol of hate just weeks before Remembrance Day.

The defaced art featured a poppy and the phrase ‘Lest we forget’ painted on a rock. Now, the poppy is covered by a spray-painted swastika.

Eunice Parsons is especially heartbroken after spending her entire summer painting rocks in a local park in an effort to brighten her community.

“I just got stomach sick … why would someone do this, especially with Nov. 11 coming up,” she said.

At a nearby legion hall, veterans said the vandalism is a disappointment to all those who respect their service.

Second World War veteran Cliff Ashton called it “a sheer disgrace” and a “kick in the head.”

“It’s a double hurt, on account of the poppy campaign, we’ve been discussing it here today,” Ashton told CTV Atlantic.

Dartmouth resident Thomas Fitzgerald said the defacement sent “a chill” through him.

“I can just imagine what some people who fought to not have such things displayed would be going through their minds and their thoughts as we approach Remembrance Day,” he said.

Parsons said the image will be re-painted in time for Nov. 11.

She said she never told police about the vandalism, as she’s hoping that whoever damaged her work of art comes forward and helps her re-paint the memorial.

“I put a lot of work into it,” she said.

With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau