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Calgary police looking for man after residential school memorial set on fire

Security cameras caught a man who appeared to light the fire just before midnight
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A growing memorial, in honour of the 215 residential school children whose remains have been discovered buried near the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., sits outside Calgary City Hall in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Calgary police say they are investigating an arson at the memorial. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Police say they are investigating an arson at a memorial for residential school victims at Calgary City Hall.

Investigators say in a news release security cameras caught a man who appeared to light the fire just before midnight Tuesday.

Photos of the aftermath show damage to the children’s shoes sitting at the site of the memorial and other objects burned to ashes.

Police say it’s too early to say why the memorial was lit on fire, but note the hate crimes unit is helping with the investigation to look for evidence of hate-related motivation.

Calgary police say they are very aware of tensions in the community related to residential schools and recent acts of vandalism and arson.

They say the suspect has short black hair and was wearing a black baseball hat, black backpack, blue jeans, white-soled shoes and a long-sleeved plaid shirt.

—The Canadian Press

RELATED: B.C. to mark Sept. 30 as day of commemoration for residential school victims, survivors