TORONTO — Veteran banners honouring fallen soldiers, including one for a local Afghanistan casualty, were vandalized with black spray paint in New Hamburg, Ont., just days before the start of Remembrance day.Photos shared on X show black paint sprayed across banners mounted on street poles, with paint dripping down the faces and text. One banner is for Pte. Tyler W. Todd of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, who was killed by an improvised explosive device on April 11, 2010, while on foot patrol near Belanday in Afghanistan’s Dand District. Todd, 26, was from Bright, Ont., in Wilmot Township; he enlisted in 2007, deployed in 2009, and was weeks from the end of his tour when he was killed. The banners are part of a long-running program run by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 532. Families and sponsors pay to have them produced and displayed around town each fall to honour local veterans. A map of 2026 banner locations was posted on the Legion’s website earlier in October. The branch has also been active in other remembrance efforts, including a Poppy Flag tradition that began in Wilmot and has been raised on Parliament Hill..This is not the first recent act of vandalism against remembrance sites in the community. In early August 2026, the New Hamburg Cenotaph and the Huron Street bridge were defaced with black marker graffiti. The markings included the name of federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis and “DSA,” referring to the Democratic Socialists of America. Legion officials called the earlier incident heartbreaking. Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen condemned it as unacceptable and said Waterloo Regional Police were investigating. Township staff cleaned the graffiti.As of Thursday morning, no official Waterloo Regional Police release or local news report on the banner vandalism had been issued. The story first circulated widely on X after a post by a retired Canadian Forces member. Community comments on social media described the act as disrespectful to those who served. A Facebook post attributed to the community stated that the banners “honour the brave men and women who have served our country” and called the vandalism heartbreaking.Police have not released details on whether surveillance footage exists or if any suspects have been identified. Residents have urged anyone with information to contact Waterloo Regional Police.
