Komagata Maru memorial damaged for second time in 14 months

Vancouver Police have launched an investigation after the Komagata Maru memorial was vandalized for the second time in 14 months.

"Detectives from a number of VPD specialized units are working together to collect evidence and identify the suspect(s) in this troubling incident," says Constable Jason Doucette. "This investigation will take time, but we’ll leave no stone unturned in our attempts to solve this senseless crime."

VPD initiated an investigation on October 4, after learning from a social media post that the glass on the front of the Komagata Maru memorial had been shattered. The memorial, located on the waterfront in Coal Harbour, appears to have been intentionally damaged.

"We don’t just want to find the person who did this, but also understand why this cherished memorial was targeted," adds Constable Doucette. "We’re looking into whether this vandalism is connected to a similar crime Saturday morning at the Olympic Cauldron in Jack Poole Plaza."

This is the second time in as many years that someone has deliberately defaced the Komagata Maru memorial. A four-month Vancouver Police investigation led to the arrest of Yuniar Kurniawan, who is currently charged with mischief, after someone used paint to vandalize the memorial in August 2021.