Rasp
Senior Editor
27
Vandals paint faces black on Portsmouth Confederate statues
Vandals paint faces black on Portsmouth Confederate statues
The Confederate Monument, in the center of Court Street, is on the National Register of Historic Places
PORTSMOUTH --Vandals painted the faces of the troops on the city's Confederate Monument black this weekend, leaving city officials scratching their heads over the significance of the act.
The black-faced figures were discovered Saturday morning. Police have made no arrests in the vandalism, which was limited to the faces on the historical marker.
On Monday, city officials hired a Richmond metal conservator t
o repair the figures, work that most likely will cost the city about $2,000. Cleanup is expected to sta
rt as early as today, city museums director Nancy Perry said.
The Confederate Monument in the center of Court Street is a 56-foot-tall granite pillar surrounded by four metal figures, each representing a different branch of the Confederate forces. The life-sized sculptures ' which stand on pedestals about 6 feet high ' are of a sailor, a cavalryman, an infantryman and an artillery man. All are white.
One of the vandalized faces.
The vandals used black enamel spray paint to color each face, Perry said.
"t seems fairly deliberate, she said. " have a gut feeling that there might be some symbolism to it, but I don't know what that is.
It also puzzled customers and staff at Brutti's, a nearby restaurant where the vandalism was the talk
of Father's Day brunch Sunday.
"t's one of those things, you can't tell which race did it, said Kathy-Ann Delph, a hostess an
d server there. "t's just baffling to me.
The Confederate Monument was the first of its kind in Hampton Roads when it was dedicated in 1893. The memorial is on the National Register of Historic Places.
For the past several years, the city has been putting money away to clean and seal the entire monument. By July 1, it will have $25,000 saved in a special fund for the project.
City spokesman Kenneth Wheeler said some of that money would have to go toward cleaning up the paint.
Police believe that the vandalism occurred early Saturday morning and that at least two people were involved, Wheeler said.
"t's not an easy thing to do, he said. The statues are well up off the ground. [Monkeys???]
On Monday, a stream of curious onlookers stopped to snap pictures of the black-
faced soldiers.
At Brutti's, co-owner Kathy Spangler shook her head. Whoever vandalized the statue, she said, had a lot of nerve ' and a dis
like of the Confederacy.
"t's terrible, she said. "t's like going into a cemetery and desecrating tombstones.
-----------------------------
Yankees and niggers best watch for some retaliation coming their way. You've heard of southern hospitality, wait til you see what Southern Justice looks like. :confed:
Vandals paint faces black on Portsmouth Confederate statues
Vandals paint faces black on Portsmouth Confederate statues
The Confederate Monument, in the center of Court Street, is on the National Register of Historic Places
PORTSMOUTH --Vandals painted the faces of the troops on the city's Confederate Monument black this weekend, leaving city officials scratching their heads over the significance of the act.
The black-faced figures were discovered Saturday morning. Police have made no arrests in the vandalism, which was limited to the faces on the historical marker.
On Monday, city officials hired a Richmond metal conservator t
o repair the figures, work that most likely will cost the city about $2,000. Cleanup is expected to sta
rt as early as today, city museums director Nancy Perry said.
The Confederate Monument in the center of Court Street is a 56-foot-tall granite pillar surrounded by four metal figures, each representing a different branch of the Confederate forces. The life-sized sculptures ' which stand on pedestals about 6 feet high ' are of a sailor, a cavalryman, an infantryman and an artillery man. All are white.
One of the vandalized faces.
The vandals used black enamel spray paint to color each face, Perry said.
"t seems fairly deliberate, she said. " have a gut feeling that there might be some symbolism to it, but I don't know what that is.
It also puzzled customers and staff at Brutti's, a nearby restaurant where the vandalism was the talk
of Father's Day brunch Sunday.
"t's one of those things, you can't tell which race did it, said Kathy-Ann Delph, a hostess an
d server there. "t's just baffling to me.
The Confederate Monument was the first of its kind in Hampton Roads when it was dedicated in 1893. The memorial is on the National Register of Historic Places.
For the past several years, the city has been putting money away to clean and seal the entire monument. By July 1, it will have $25,000 saved in a special fund for the project.
City spokesman Kenneth Wheeler said some of that money would have to go toward cleaning up the paint.
Police believe that the vandalism occurred early Saturday morning and that at least two people were involved, Wheeler said.
"t's not an easy thing to do, he said. The statues are well up off the ground. [Monkeys???]
On Monday, a stream of curious onlookers stopped to snap pictures of the black-
faced soldiers.
At Brutti's, co-owner Kathy Spangler shook her head. Whoever vandalized the statue, she said, had a lot of nerve ' and a dis
like of the Confederacy.
"t's terrible, she said. "t's like going into a cemetery and desecrating tombstones.
-----------------------------
Yankees and niggers best watch for some retaliation coming their way. You've heard of southern hospitality, wait til you see what Southern Justice looks like. :confed:
