Even the mayor of Baltimore has had enough of the thug mentality.
The Star-Spangled Banner Centennial Monument in Patterson Park has been defaced.
“Racist Anthem” was painted in front of the bronze statue that honors the national anthem.
About half a dozen police officers were there Monday afternoon to take pictures of the damage and search the area for evidence.
At this point, they have a can of red spray paint found nearby, but no arrests.
By the dawn’s early light Monday morning the Star-Spangled Banner Centennial Monument became a crime scene.
A deep red stain on two bronze children in Patterson Park that were erected to honor the national anthem.
The sculpture depicts two children holding a scroll that reads: “To commemorate the centennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner, the pupils of the public schools of Baltimore have erected this memorial upon Hampstead Hill where in September, 1814, the citizen soldiers of Maryland stood ready to sacrifice their lives in defense of their homes and their country.”
“I’m very upset. I’ve got tears in my eyes, not because it’s cold out, but because I’m upset,” said Ann-Louise Novak, who lives nearby. “It’s not a racial thing. It’s a children thing.”
Third verse in Star Spangled Banner is being criticized as racist. “No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.” Children’s statue Patterson Park has racist anthem scrawled on the ground. Red paint on faces pic.twitter.com/GyfS3LqHYJ
— David Collins (@dcollinsWBAL) January 15, 2018
#WJZ Statue in Patterson Park vandalized "racist anthem" spray-painted @WJZKimberly Is it racist? Is this the way to protest? pic.twitter.com/p18xME54SO
— Denise Koch WJZ (@DeniseWJZ) January 15, 2018
Statement from @MayorPugh50 on the vandalized monument at Patterson Park. pic.twitter.com/SmuSgSVclE
— Mia Rosas (@Mia_WBAL) January 15, 2018
[give_form id=”79809″] [contentcards url=”http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2018/01/15/star-spangled-banner-monument-defaced/” target=”_blank”]Children’s statue commemorating national anthem vandalized in Patterson Park. “Anthem racist “ is scrawled https://t.co/MBqs6XluJQ
— David Collins (@dcollinsWBAL) January 15, 2018