Mayor of Terry Fox’s hometown calls out ‘appropriation’ of Canadian icon’s statue at anti-vaccine rally

The mayor of Terry Fox's hometown is speaking out against what he calls the “appropriation'' of the Canadian athlete's legacy during the anti-vaccine mandate rally in Ottawa.

The Terry Fox Memorial Sculpture, a bronze statue of the cancer research activist near Parliament Hill, was used to hold a protest placard with the words “Mandate Freedom.''

A Canadian flag was also fastened like a cape around the statue's neck, while a pole with an upside down flag was placed near one of the hands, giving the appearance of Fox's statue waving the inverted flag.

The Terry Fox Foundation responds after convoy protesters put an anti vaccine sign and an upside down Canadian flag on the Terry Fox statue in front of Parliament Hill #cdnpoli https://t.co/YSx6waMJ4Y

— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) January 29, 2022

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West says Fox is a national inspiration and a unifying force, adding that, whatever the cause, no one should “appropriate his legacy'' or touch his statue.

West says in a tweet that the poster and flags should be removed immediately, prompting Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson to reply that he has asked city staff to do just that.

“He’s our city’s hero, national inspiration and an unifier,” tweeted West. “Whatever your cause, you don’t get to appropriate his legacy and you don’t touch his statue. Ever.”

The image from the protest is garnering a range of responses, including from the Terry Fox Foundation that tweeted how “Terry believed in science and gave his life to help others'' and the foundation continues Fox's mission of funding cancer research.

This is completely unacceptable and I have asked city bylaw to have the placard and upside down Canadian flag taken down. This kind of stunt by protesters does not help their cause

— Jim Watson (@JimWatsonOttawa) January 29, 2022