Vietnam Memorial Defaced Again

by Paul Bass | January 5, 2008 8:54 PM | | Comments (5)

The city is considering installing security cameras on Long Wharf after vandals defaced the Vietnam veterans memorial for the second time in a little more than a week.

The city plans Sunday or Monday to clean up the latest graffiti spraypainted on the memorial, which is by the waterfront at Long Wharf park.

Vandals wrote “MS 13” on the memorial in black spray paint. A week ago vandals wrote the same message in orange spray-paint on bricks around the memorial, along with the message “Kill Whites.” They also sprayed throughout the park. This time, they hit two spots: the memorial, and another stone marker.

MS 13 is the name of a Salvadoran gang making inroads in the U.S., also known as Mara Salvatrucha.

“It’s disgraceful,” city Chief Administrative Officer Rob Smuts said Saturday evening. “We hope to [clean it] as soon as possible.”

“We hate to post cameras in a place where people go to reflect and pay their respects,” Smuts said. But because this happened twice in a week, the city may install cameras, perhaps just temporarily, in hopes of catching the vandals or deterring repeat incidents.

Comments

Posted by: cedarhillresident [TypeKey Profile Page] | January 6, 2008 10:36 AM

I to am disgusted.... These are people that fought to protect our lands and someone thinks it is cool to deface them?? And the vendors that park there should be pissed to. There rights to do business there are at risk.

Posted by: dave | January 7, 2008 9:54 PM

Public Cameras are a good idea. Put up a sign to go with them so nobody is being watched without their knowledge. Cameras do not stop a peaceful person from going about life. Cameras might get some solid eviidence to cuff the dirtbags that slink around in the shadows. I wonnder of the community would be more upset if the graffito said kill some other ethnic group. The anti whiet graffito never seems to upset the white people for some reason. But it upsets me that they are disprespecting the men who served our country

Posted by: dave | January 7, 2008 9:54 PM

Public Cameras are a good idea. Put up a sign to go with them so nobody is being watched without their knowledge. Cameras do not stop a peaceful person from going about life. Cameras might get some solid eviidence to cuff the dirtbags that slink around in the shadows. I wonnder of the community would be more upset if the graffito said kill some other ethnic group. The anti whiet graffito never seems to upset the white people for some reason. But it upsets me that they are disprespecting the men who served our country

Posted by: Dave | January 8, 2008 1:59 PM

Hmmm, why would a gang that doesn't exist in New Haven deface a War Veteran's site? Sounds like the work of a Minuteman bigot who's taking advantage of the "perceived" rage against Illegal Aliens.

If you read the article even the police hold their reservations about blaming "MS-13". The tv coverage of the Graffitti also shows the vandalism doesn't really match actual MS013 Graffitti found in neighborhoods where they choose to leave their mark.

My bet is that it never be linked to the actual gang, but I'm sure that the anti-illegal vandals who did this achieved their bottom-line goals.

Posted by: Edwin A. Halderman, SSgt. USMC (retired) | January 22, 2008 2:04 PM

THIS MEANS THAT THESE "IDOTS" FORGOT EVEN WHAT WE WHERE THERE FOR, PROTECTING THEM FROM "ALL, NOW THEM." sucks does it not!!! they seam to have forgot what being in the militery even means!!

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