Ten churches have been vandalised in Alberta, Canada, in attacks that police have linked to anger over historic injustices against indigenous people.
Investigators in the province said orange and red paint was daubed on the churches in the city of Calgary.
The premier of Alberta said the attacks were “appalling”.
It comes after unmarked graves were found around former church-run residential schools that indigenous children were once forced to attend.
The grim discoveries prompted some calls for national celebrations in honour of Canada Day on 1 July to be cancelled.
Alberta’s Premier Jason Kenney, said on Thursday one of the vandalised locations was an African Evangelical Church in the city of Calgary.
He said its congregation was made up entirely of former refugees who fled countries where churches are often vandalised and burned down.
“These folks came to Canada with the hope that they could practise their faith peacefully,” tweeted Mr Kenney, a Conservative. “Some of them are traumatised by such attacks.
“This is where hatred based on collective guilt for historic injustices leads us. Let’s seek unity, respect & reconciliation instead.”