A mural that was installed to be a crime deterrent in Cardston, Alta., has been removed after evoking “strong negative emotions from members of the community,” according to the town’s mayor and council.
A now-deleted post on the town’s Facebook page featured the mural — a landscape overlooking rolling foothills approaching Chief Mountain and the silhouette of a person on a horse.
The mural lined an alleyway that police allege is a hot spot for illegal activity.
A statement from Cardston RCMP Sgt. Robert Wright said police officers have regularly visited the area in the last five years and made arrests for intoxication, drug use and “crime against persons.”
“During regular foot patrols of the area, it has been noted to have a large number of empty containers for liquor, mouthwash and hairspray,” Wright said. “RCMP and town employees have also cleaned up used needles, blood and human waste from the alleyway.”
Chelsea Heavy Head is a Blood Tribe member who spoke out against the mural on social media. She told Global News she had concerns about both the mural and how police characterized the space.
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“The alleyway is a place where some Blood Tribe members meet and spend time with each other,” Heavy Head said.
“Right away I thought, ‘What’s the crime?’ … Being native? Homeless? Sitting at the corner together? So, that kind of started upsetting me.”
Heavy Head said she believes the mural “changed the interpretation of the riders with Chief Mountain.”
“On the mural, there is no mention of Kainai (Blood Tribe) — there’s nothing including the Blackfoot community.”
A discussion about the mural exploded on social media shortly after it was installed late last month. The artwork was removed, and on March 28, the town issued a statement saying the piece was intended to be a crime prevention initiative while also beautifying the historical main street.
“The assumptions of the race and nature of the characters in the piece have evoked strong negative emotions from members of the community,” read a statement issued by Mayor Maggie Kronen and the town’s council.
“(Council) has chosen to take the mural down and to look at better options for the area to support the initial goals of the piece and will be more sensitive to the concerns that were shared.”
Dexter Scout, who is a Blood Tribe member, said he can “see both sides” of the conversation.
“There are no natives in the painting, it’s for crime prevention, so (is the town) trying to illustrate a version of this area with no natives?” he said. “Is that the way to prevent crime?
“I understand crime is a big issue everywhere, but nine times out of 10, it’s the natives that get picked out.”
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