Robert Gould Shaw Civil War Memorial Vandalized
BOSTON (CBS) -- Boston Police and National Park Rangers are investigating after a Civil War memorial on Boston Common was discovered to have been vandalized Tuesday morning.
Somebody broke a sword off of the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial, which sits directly across Beacon Street from the Massachusetts State House.
Boston Police were notified about the vandalism by a concerned citizen around 7:45 a.m.
Vandalized war memorial Boston Common #Boston pic.twitter.com/jei5TBieV4
— Paul Buscemi- #SkyEye (@paulbuscemi44) February 21, 2017
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reported that the broken-off part of the sword was lying at the foot of the memorial.
Here is a photo of the memorial with the sword intact:
@cbsboston omg, I was just there Sunday and he still had it.. pic.twitter.com/b1AzjQ7zo8
— Wendy Wetherell (@WendyWeth) February 21, 2017
The bronze monument, unveiled nearly 120 years ago, honors the first African-Americans to fight in the war, as well as their commander.
The Friends of the Public Gardens, a group responsible for Boston Common, the Public Gardens, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, said the sword will be replaced tomorrow at 10 a.m. by collections care manager Sarah Hut and conservator Josh Crain.
They said the piece is made of fiberglass, so there is no damage to the full statue.
The group said this has happened many times over the last several years, and that no notes or messages were found in connection to this incident.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports