Plymouth Rock, the famous landmark where the pilgrims first set foot on American soil in 1620, was vandalized Sunday night, alongside other iconic monuments to the pilgrims, as CNN reports.
On Monday morning, it was discovered that many monuments had been defaced by the same red graffiti, including the iconic Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrim Maiden statue, and the National Monument to the Forefathers.
Plymouth Town Manager Melissa Arrighi condemned the vandalism on Twitter, saying that “we are saddened and sickened” by the actions, and that they would “begin clean up as soon as possible,” adding that “the police are investigating.”
Additional landmarks that were vandalized include four new pieces of art in the shape of scallop shells, depicting various images of the pilgrims’ landing. These sculptures were commissioned in preparation for the upcoming celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the pilgrims first landing in America, an iconic moment in American history that symbolizes the bravery of the explorers, and the earliest beginnings of the founding of America.
The shells have already been cleaned, and the Plymouth Department of Public Works, which is responsible for the cleanup operations, has requested that anyone with information on the culprits reach out to the police.