Canadian university apologizes for removing painting that offended Americans [Video]

The University of Prince Edward Island has apologized to a former artist in residence who quit after administrators ordered him to remove a painting that offended some American faculty members.

Christopher Griffin’s painting, “The Crossing,” shows lemmings gathered around an American flag as they cross an icy waterway in a boat, an image inspired by the iconic painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River during the American Revolution in 1776.

Griffin says his homage to Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting is intentionally political as it reflects his dismay over U.S. President Donald Trump’s “insulting and threatening” attitude toward Canada since he was sworn in on Jan. 20.

The artist quit the unpaid position earlier this week and accused the university of censorship.

On Thursday, he said the university should welcome discussions about politics and freedom of speech. And he said that before quitting he had offered to take part in …