A large granite monument honoring 9-11 victims was defaced by vandals who spray-painted “Taliban” on it in two places, authorities in South Carolina said.
The granite statue is made of two towers, each weighing 4,000 pounds with a light beam outside a Greenville County business, WYFF-TV reported.
Deputies were called to investigate the vandalism Sunday morning and the damage was cleaned up later that day, said Paul Nichols, founder and CEO of Upstate Granite Solutions. His granite company constructed the memorial, which is surrounded by 1,000 American flags, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the U.S.
“This monument is meant to show the community how much we care and to offer our support to our military and our first responders and let people know there’s still something to believe in America,” said Kelly Nichols of Upstate Granite Solutions.
Nichols said hundreds of people visited the memorial Saturday night.