Ongoing vandalism to Vancouver Island Red Dress project

A Red Dress memorial project, raising awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit individuals, has been the target of ongoing vandalism in Campbell River, B.C.

The wooden, hand painted red dresses with personal messages from people impacted by MMIWG2S was a community effort which began on May 5, to coincide with Red Dress Day. 

“I’ve lost count of how many dresses I’ve had to maintain,” says Leslie Hnatiw, a local activist who was involved in the project.

Forty-eight dresses were placed by along highway 19 between the Comox Valley and Campbell River. Several of the dresses have since been ripped down from the posts they were screwed into and destroyed.

“This type of hatred and behaviour only perpetrates more harm to our people,” says Hnatiw.

Photo submitted by Leslie Hnatiw.

Supporters of the project see the vandalism as a lacked education toward the intergenerational trauma First Nations have suffered which includes the crisis of MMIWG2S.

“This is an effect of colonization on us and our families,” says Jamie Bryant, a We-Wai-Kai First Nation member and supporter of the project.

The red dress is meant as a symbol of remembrance as well as to inspire change and demand justice for those who were lost.

“They’re people, they are not just names, they are not just a missing poster,” says Raven Hall, a MMIWG2S advocate. “Somebody loves those people this is why we continue to do the work that we do.”

Photo submitted by Leslie Hnatiw

Campbell River RCMP are investigating the vandalism. Anyone with information is urged to contact the detachment.