Second Fredericton cemetery targeted by vandals

For the second time in as many weeks, headstones at a Fredericton-area cemetery have been spray painted by vandals.

Several headstones were also knocked over at the Fredericton Rural Cemetery, which is located next to the St. John River and west of the city centre.

"Vandalism is not identified as being a courageous act,” said Rev. Mary Tingley with Wilmott United Church. “It's an act that's simply not something that is within our framework of how humanity and community work together.”

According to the cemetery’s superintendent caretaker, Gilbert Farris, vandalism is rare.

"We haven’t had anything like this since the early 90s and it was 80 stones knocked over at that time," Farris told CTV News.

Farris says police sent a forensic unit to investigate the incident.

The Fredericton Rural Cemetery is adjacent to the neighbouring Hermitage Cemetery.

In all, eight stones were painted and nine we overturned – one of which was pushed into the Saint John River.

“Probably next week, when things calm down a little bit, we’ll start up righting the stones and see if we can’t clean them,” Farris said.

This vandalism comes after more than 20 headstones were defaced at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Fredericton, all within the Royal Canadian Legion’s section.

Fredericton police say they believe that vandalism happened in two separate incidents in recent weeks.

Police told CTV they will increase patrols in and around cemeteries in the city.

"It makes me feel so sad to walk through here,” Tingley said. “When I see something that's been marked by just messages of deep hurt and deep pain, it makes my heart hurt, too. This is not community.”

Many of the vandalized graves are older and the cemetery does not have records of extended family to contact about the incident.

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