WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
Two more Catholic churches on reserves in British Columbia’s southern Interior burned down Saturday morning.┬а
Lower Similkameen Indian Band Chief Keith Crow says he received a call at about┬а4 a.m. PT that the Chopaka church was on fire. By time he arrived about 30 minutes later, it had burned to the ground.┬а
“I’m angry,” Crow said. “I don’t see any positive coming from this and it’s going to be tough.”
Crow said he later received a call from the┬аUpper Similkameen┬аIndian Band, near Hedley, that a church on that┬аreserve had burned down as well.┬а
The Upper Similkameen┬аIndian Band confirmed that St. Ann’s Church was destroyed overnight.┬аA representative for the band said officials are currently working with RCMP┬аat the site of the fire.┬а
In a written statement, RCMP said both fires started within an hour of each other early Saturday morning. They said the Chopaka┬аchurch fire had spread to nearby brush, but B.C. Wildfire crews were able to attend to it before it spread.┬а
‘It’s not just coincidence’
Crow said the fire in his community is still under investigation, adding that the fact it came on the heels of┬аovernight fires that destroyed two other churches in the Okanagan┬аearlier this week┬аis suspicious.┬а
“There’s got to be something more to it,” he said. “It’s not just coincidence.”┬а
RCMP said they’re treating Saturday’s fires as suspicious, and investigating any possible links to the Okanagan church fires.┬а
“The investigations into the previous fires and these two new fires are ongoing with no arrests or charges,” said Sgt. Jason Bayda with Penticton South RCMP.┬а
Anyone with information about the fires is asked to contact the┬аPenticton RCMP┬аdetachment at 250-492-4300.
People in the community are very upset about the fire, Crow said.
Many of them are┬аmembers of the Catholic Church, he said, and are still grappling with the news from last month that a preliminary scan uncovered┬аthe remains of as many as 215 children buried at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., about 200 kilometres north of Hedley.┬а
Earlier this week, the┬аCowessess First Nation said a preliminary scan┬аdiscovered hundreds of unmarked graves at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan.┬а
‘Mixed emotions’
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the┬аUnion of B.C. Indian Chiefs, previously told CBC News there are “mixed emotions” about the Catholic Church among┬аPenticton Indian Band members.
Phillip said some members of the community have “an intense hatred for the Catholic Church in regard to the residential school experience.”
Crow said he is taking part in a caravan of leaders, Indian residential school survivors, families and elders that will journey from Penticton to Kamloops┬аon Saturday.┬а
Hundreds of people have planned to take┬аpart in the caravan, he said, showing the unity of the people throughout the region.┬а
“I feel good today for doing this, but I’m upset with the church being burned┬аdown last night,” he said.┬а
The convoy was organized by the┬аSyilx Okanagan Nation.
Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools and those who are triggered by the latest reports.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
