Providence War Memorial vandalized on Memorial Day

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) -The Providence War Memorial in La Salle Square was vandalized on Memorial Day.

Providence police confirmed to ABC6 someone spray painted the monument around 8:15 a.m. on Memorial Day. Black spray paint covered four of the stones at memorial, which honored the people who sacrificed their lives in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

The vandalism was discovered by maintenance crews with the Dunkin’ Donuts Center who reported it to police, but the graffiti remained there for almost a day as veterans and family members of loved ones who died in battle visited the monument on Memorial Day.

“Any veteran or any family member who has seen a lost one at age 19, 20, 21, 22, and then some idiot comes out here and defaces it… there’s something wrong,” Veteran Cicil Hickman said.

Hickman is a Vietnam War Veteran and one of the many filled with outrage after seeing the graffiti.

“Regardless of your political point of view, you can’t tell me that you can look in a coffin and see a kid who sacrificed his life and you’re going to deface it on his day or her day? That’s sick,” Hickman said.

According to officials with the Convention Center Authority, they’re responsible for the maintenance and care of the monument. Tuesday morning, a worker washed away the graffiti by placing solvent on the stones and power washing it to get the black paint off.

“Clearly some intentional act on Memorial Day,” Daniel McConaghy, the Executive Director said. “Really I just can’t understand the intent and why on such a special day.”

McConaghy says now that the graffiti is cleaned, the next step is to catch the people responsible. He says they, along with Hasbro, have surveillance video of the vandals that is now in the hands of police.

“I really hope we’re able to get to the bottom of this and find the perpetrators of the vandalism,” McConaghy said. “For someone to come in and defile it is terrible and I think we need to find out who would do this.”

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza also responded to the incident. He said in a statement, “I strongly condemn the vandalism that occurred at the Providence War Memorial. We pay homage to Providence residents who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and we remember them every day, especially during Memorial Day weekend. The City’s Graffiti Task Force will immediately work to repair the Memorial.”

The vandalism also caught the eyes of Ward 1 Councilman John Goncalves. In a statement he said, “This abhorrent act of vandalism is unconscionable and will not be tolerated. My heart goes out to the families and the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country. We will continue to honor them and our hope is that there is swift justice on behalf of all those affected by this heinous act.”

Eric Wallin with Operation Stand Down says he was appalled when he heard about the incident.

“The desecration of a memorial to the sacrifice and service of the greatest generation on any day is simply disgusting but to do so on a day as solemn as Memorial Day is unspeakable.  We as a nation need to commit ourselves to ensure that we are educating the generations to come about what has been sacrificed for the cause of freedom by the brave men and women of our armed services.”