A Confederate statue in a North Georgia cemetery, that has been up for more than 100 years, was vandalized this week.
Located at the Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Georgia, the statue of a Confederate soldier had its face smashed, hands ‘surgically’ cut and rifle taken on Wednesday night.
‘It has been reported, the damage has been estimated and, yes, [we] are investigating,’ Rome Police Department Lt. Danny Story said to ABC News.
Located at the Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Georgia, the statue of a Confederate soldier had its face smashed, hands ‘surgically’ cut and rifle taken on Wednesday night
Story added that the statue hadn’t been targeted before.
The statue had to be removed from its base, according to the cemetery’s director, Stan Rogers.
Officials added that the monument damage was extensive and required planning. Rogers estimated that damages were around $200,000.
‘It looked like it was surgically cut,’ said Rome City Manager Sammy Rich to the Rome News-Tribune.
Erected in 1887 by ‘the Women of Rome’ at the Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Georgia, the monument was to pay homage to Confederate soldiers
‘It’s just super disappointing that somebody would go to that much trouble to get up there, put a ladder up or whatever to reach it.’
Rich added that the city is trying to figure out how to go about fixing the statue. .
Erected in 1887 by ‘the Women of Rome’, the monument was to pay homage to Confederate soldiers.
Initially, the monument featured an urn but that was replaced by the soldier in 1909.
Several U.S. cities have in recent months dismantled monuments to Confederate leaders, which have become focal points for a fraught national debate over race and politics.
Several U.S. cities have in recent months dismantled monuments to Confederate leaders, which have become focal points for a fraught national debate over race and politics