On the 11^th of November, at 11:00 a.m., people across Canada stand still for two minutes of silence in honour of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Much was the same in Fredericton Wednesday morning. People of all ages gathered for the Remembrance Day ceremony that takes place every year around the cenotaph.

Veterans and legion members from around the city, along with soldiers from CFB Gagetown, were met at the cenotaph by hundreds of people who turned out to pay their respects, not only to those who have been killed in past wars, but also those 133 Canadian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan.

However, in the wake of a recent act of vandalism, Frederictonians have been reaching out to the local legions beyond attending the Remembrance Day service.

Just two days before Remembrance Day, on Monday November 9^th, it was discovered that the Fredericton cenotaph had been vandalized. The three-metre high granite cross which stood on the monument had been knocked off from where it stood and smashed into pieces.

This news shocked people throughout Fredericton.

“I think it’s really unfortunate that someone went to those lengths to damage what is quite an important symbol for our community,” said Ryan Sullivan after the service on Wednesday morning. His thoughts were shared not only by fellow community members, but also veterans and soldiers.

Corporal McMahon of 2RCR, who was also at Wednesday’s service, said the fact that it happened so close to Remembrance Day doesn’t make it that much more shocking.

“Regardless of what time of the year it is, it’s a despicable thing to do. I don’t think whoever did this realizes what the monument does. It’s not for living members or for the living veterans as much as it is for their fallen friends.”

And while local support for the legion is continuously pouring in, news of the vandalism is also striking support across Canada.

Joe Bishara, a teacher in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, runs a club of over 200 junior high and high school students whose goal is to always respect veterans and seniors, along with always remembering the war-dead. When he heard about the vandalism, he was shocked to learn someone could destroy something so meaningful, but he doesn’t want the community, especially the veterans, to think that young people no longer care about our veterans, and he hopes to someday soon show them.

“I really hope to bring just a busload of club members to Fredericton. Just make a trip up, and do a service down at the cenotaph to show them that young people still do good things.”

And while police are still investigating the incident, the amount of local support was more than evident Wednesday morning.