What the future holds for Vancouver's controversial Gassy Jack statue
One of Vancouver’s most recognizable, and controversial, figures is once again at the centre of the city’s conversation.
On Monday, February 14, the Gassy Jack statue in Gastown was toppled and covered in red paint during a Women’s Memorial March for murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people.
According to Vancouver Police, they are investigating mischief related to this incident.
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“Several hundred people gathered around the statue, located at Carrall Street and Water Street, as the annual Women’s Memorial March wound past the landmark around 1:15 pm Monday,” said VPD in a release.
“Demonstrators tied ropes around the statue, then pulled it to the pavement and covered it in paint.”
Daily Hive
VPD said there were no injuries or arrests made in connection with the incident.
Daily Hive reached out to Squamish Nation for comment. In a statement, Councillor and Spokesperson Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn) said that the “Squamish Nation needs to lead work that involves our ancestors through respect and collaboration.”
“In that spirit, the Squamish Nation had come to an agreement with the City of Vancouver to remove the Gassy Jack Deighton statue. The discussions were ongoing, focused on a culturally safe and respectful process that would bring dignity and healing to all involved.”
“The Nation was in consultation with our community and the descendants of our respected ancestor Madeline – Gassy Jack’s former wife.”
“She was a courageous woman our Nation looks up to, and today has many descendants alive in our community.”
“We are concerned about unsafe actions that risk people’s personal safety and remain focused on supporting justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.”
And down goes Gassy Jack…. pic.twitter.com/Nk7yUbP4sW
— Damon (@DamonD) February 14, 2022
The City of Vancouver said that they’re working with VPD to “assess, remove and store the statue until we have identified appropriate next steps with Squamish Nation.”
The @CityofVancouver has been in consultations with @SquamishNation on the right way to remove the #GassyJack statue & recognize the truth of John Deighton’s harmful legacy.
Today’s actions were dangerous & undermines ongoing work with Squamish to guide steps to #reconciliation. https://t.co/zsdoyXJTPb
— Kennedy Stewart (@kennedystewart) February 14, 2022
The City of Vancouver said in a statement to Daily Hive that they’re committed to Reconciliation.
They understand “that the Gassy Jack statue is a symbol of pain, violence and trauma associated with colonialism and violence against Indigenous women and girls.”
In June 2020, the Squamish Nation released a statement confirming that Jack Deighton, aka Gassy Jack, was married to a Squamish woman in the late 1860s. When she died, he married her 12-year-old niece known as Madeline or X̱áliya.
The City of Vancouver has been working on plans in collaboration with the Squamish Nation to remove the Gassy Jack statue.
“We will continue to work with Squamish Nation to identify appropriate next steps,” said the city.
“We stand in support of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression but do not condone vandalism of any kind.”
The City of Vancouver and Squamish Nation have reportedly been in talks about the statue since 2020 when it was covered in red paint.
The Gastown Business Improvement Society told Daily Hive that “the focus today should be on the Women’s Memorial March and its important message.”
“We hope to be included in the conversation with Indigenous Communities, the City of Vancouver and other stakeholders about this issue.”
Daily Hive has reached out to Squamish Nation and protest organizers for more information and will update this story.
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