Downtown Augusta advocate decries vandalism of four historical monuments
Four historic Augusta monuments recently were vandalized, upsetting locals and activists.
The Spanish American War Monument at Greene and 9th streets, the Masonic Monument at Greene and 8th streets, the marker at Old First Baptist Church at Greene and 8th streets, and the original Paine College site marker at Broad and 10th streets have all been vandalized, according to Augusta activist Kevin de l'Aigle.
The vandalism happened sometime over the weekend, de l'Aigle said.
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The Richmond County Sheriff's Office confirmed there is one recent incident report involving a damaged monument, but said the report is not available at this time.
In response to media inquiries, the mayor's office said it will not comment.
"To see four monuments vandalized in one weekend is really upsetting and concerning," de l'Aigle said. "There are monuments to people of every race, creed and color and the values they fought for. To see them desecrated is heartbreaking.
De l'Aigle, who has been consistently advocating for the revitalization of downtown, added more could be done to secure and monitor the area.
"We need working security cameras, better lighting and more patrols downtown," he said. "The city will say the monuments are not their responsibility, but the buck has to stop somewhere. Citizens who live downtown deserve better security and infrastructure."
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Historical monuments vandalized in downtown Augusta
