City hall statue of Capt. George Vancouver vandalized

The statue of English explorer Capt. George Vancouver that stands outside city hall was vandalized overnight.

Thursday morning,contractors with a pressure washer were seen removing the blue and grey paint that had been thrown on the life-size bronze image.

The motivation for the vandalism is unknown. However, anumber of statues depicting explorers and Confederate leaders have been pulled down or defaced in the United States recently, as Black Lives Matter protests continue.

In a statement, the City of Vancouver said it recognizes the public dialogue taking place around historic monuments in Vancouver and elsewhere.

The statement says a "consideration of monuments" will be part of a future review of the city's commemoration policies.

The figure of Vancouver marks his arrival in BurrardInlet in 1792 and wascommissioned for the city's 1936 golden jubilee.

It shows him holding a scroll and pointing to Vancouver harbour.

Vancouver wasa representative of King George III of England.