Regina park area dedicated to free speech vandalized

Ron Podbielski takes a walk through Wascana Park during his work breaks nearly everyday.

But yesterday, Podbielski was distressed to notice a part of the park had been seemingly randomly vandalized.

“I’ve always really loved the spot,” Podbielski said, referring to Speaker’s Corner.

“It was a little disheartening to me knowing what speakers corner is meant to stand for and represent,”

In 1966, Speaker’s Corner was dedicated to the people of Saskatchewan by the Earl Mountbatten as a symbol of their right to free and peaceful speech, debate and assembly.

“It was really meant to show our respect for our diversity, our ability to listen to other people with opposing views and our respect for one another as citizens,” Podbielski said. “To me, this kind of attack on something that I think is very treasured to a lot of Canadians.

“It was just very disappointing and very difficult for me.”

Podbielski, who works as a communications manager for the Water Security Agency in Regina, said the attack seemed random. The vandalism consisted of various phrases and words scrawled in red and black markers around the area.

“I don’t think anybody was making necessarily a political statement,” he said.

Podbielski decided to share the vandalism in an online post.

“We’re coming into Canada Day and my feeling is that this is the most wonderful country in the world because we have freedom, we have democracy but we have a tremendous respect for the views of others,” said Podbielski.

“We all recognize that free speech and free assembly is part of who we are as Canadians … to see this particular monument defaced and attacked in this way, it’s just very disheartening to me as a Canadian because it goes against all that we stand for.”

Jonathan Tremblay, director of communications for the Government of Saskatchewan, said vandalism of this nature has been happening for years.

“Unfortunately this is a common occurrence,” Tremblay said. “We get tagged in different areas of Wascana Centre on almost a weekly basis.”

But Podbielski said there was a positive ending to the story.

Within a day of noticing the graffiti, Podbielski saw crews working to remove the vandalism from Speaker’s Corner.

“It made my day to see that that graffiti was being removed,” Podbielski said.

“That brought a smile to my face because Speaker’s Corner is a wonderful place to be enjoyed.”