Boris Johnson condemns Pulling Queen’s statue during livid protests over Canadian mass graves
Johnson stated he sympathised with the protesters angered via the "tragic discoveries" of mass graves belonging to First Nations children but iterated he opposed "any defacing of statues of the Queen".
Footage online shows members of the left-wing anti-colonialist Idle No More group tying a rope round the Queen's sculpture and tearing it down, chanting "no justice, no peace".
Demonstrators were reacting to information that the bodies of more than 1,000 First Nations kids were discovered buried in boarding schools throughout British Columbia.
In a separate clip, protesters chant "knock her down" as they topple Queen Victoria's sculpture, daubing it in red paint and leaving a "we were children once. Bring them home" sign beside it.
"We of course condemn any defacing of statues of the Queen", the prime minister's spokesperson informed reporters.
"Our thoughts are with Canada's indigenous community following these tragic discoveries and we comply with these issues closely and proceed to engage with the government of Canada with indigenous matters.'
Waabishkaa Ma'iingan Naakshig, who describes himself as a "Land Defender/Water Protector", uploaded footage of the incident and captioned it "I helped tear the b**ch down".
The protesters, dressed in orange shirts to honour the lost children, headed for the legislature as part of the "Every Child Matters" rally.