Red T-shirt stolen from Healing of the Seven Generations display ahead of Red Dress Day

CBC
·2 min read
Healing of the Seven Generations says a red T-shirt was stolen from a display outside their office honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples. (Healing of the Seven Generations/Facebook - image credit)
Healing of the Seven Generations says a red T-shirt was stolen from a display outside their office honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples. (Healing of the Seven Generations/Facebook - image credit)

The executive director of the Healing of The Seven generations says she's disheartened by the theft of a red T-shirt from a display outside their office.

The display is for the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit people on May 5, sometimes also known as Red Dress Day.

"It's really unfortunate because, what this is, it's a memorial and it wouldn't be anymore different than if there were items in a cemetery," Donna Dubie told CBC News.

"They have desecrated the memorial. These are to honour the missing and murdered Indigenous people across Turtle Island."

Dubie said this isn't the first time the organization has had thefts from their memorials. She said last year, someone stole red dresses from a display and orange shirts were taken from their Every Child Matters display in September.

That's why this year, Dubie said they zip tied the dresses and shirts to the posts. She said each red shirt and dress has a story and photo of someone who has been murdered or missing.

She said the shirt that was taken symbolized the story and life of a young boy.

The group has organized a Red Dress Walk on Sunday and Dubie said she hopes the person who stole the T-shirt attends the event.

"So they can get a better understanding of what [the event] means and the support we get from the community and neighbours," she said.

Dubie said the organization will continue to create the displays despite the thefts.

"This is not going to deter us from doing this in the future," she said.

Dubie said she reported the theft to police. Regional police confirmed to CBC News they are investigating and believe the incident happened between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. between Wednesday and Thursday.

"Due to the cultural significance of the stolen item, WRPS's General Investigative Unit and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Unit are involved in the investigation," police said in a statement.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.