Boise police search for suspects after Lincoln statue is vandalized with paint, feces
Police in Boise are searching for those responsible for making quite the mess Monday morning in Julia Davis Park while defacing an Abraham Lincoln statue.
Officers were dispatched to the park at 8 a.m. after reports of vandalism, according to a news release from the Boise Police Department. When officers arrived, they found that a bronze statue — known as “Seated Lincoln” — was vandalized with feces, paint and signs.
Parks and recreation crews were able to clean off the Abraham Lincoln statue, which was not permanently damaged.
“Defacing a venerated object to provoke an emotional response will not help us rise to our better self,” said Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee in the release.
Police were still investigating the vandalism as of Monday afternoon and were pursuing leads to try to identify those responsible.
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean condemned the vandalism and said those who committed the act must be held accountable.
“At a time when our democracy is fragile, this is particularly disturbing as President Lincoln sought to keep our fractured nation together and to address the scourge of slavery — losing his life for it,” McLean said in the news release. “On the first day of Black History Month, it’s essential to honor those in our community, reflect on our past, and work together for a better future. This terrible act detracts from progress and is an affront to those who toil daily for civil rights.”
