World Cup beaver statue in Toronto destroyed, police investigating

A U.S.-themed beaver sculpture, designed to welcome World Cup tourists in downtown Toronto, was found smashed to pieces over the weekend, sparking a police investigation and drawing criticism from the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

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It was all Canadians that got hurt in the process. This act didn’t hurt the United States. It hurt a gifted Canadian-American artist, the Toronto community, and the charity this art was set to benefit.

The sculpture was one of 51 beaver statues clutching soccer balls, displayed near the St. Lawrence Market and Hockey Hall of Fame as part of an event organized by the local business district. The U.S. beaver featured American flags, a USA jersey, and symbols like the Statue of Liberty, a hibiscus flower, and a raised Black fist representing the Black Lives Matter movement.

Photos shared on social media showed the four-foot-tall statue destroyed, surrounded by caution tape. The Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area confirmed the vandalism occurred Saturday night and has reported it to the police. They noted that a "handful" of other installations have also been damaged during the exhibition, calling the destruction "especially regrettable."

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While it’s disappointing, damage to temporary installations and public art is an unfortunate risk we anticipate when placing them in public spaces.

Alyah Holmes, the Canadian-American artist who designed the sculpture, has reportedly received threatening messages since the incident gained attention. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra commented on social media, emphasizing that the act harmed the Canadian artist, the Toronto community, and the charity the art was meant to benefit, rather than the United States itself.

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She called the beaver’s destruction “especially regrettable,” no matter what the culprit’s intentions were.