Fallen police memorial removed following vandalism

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A fallen police memorial was removed from Byrd Park after four cases of vandalism.

The memorial, which honors police officers that have died in the line of duty, was removed on Thursday morning to keep it safe.

Previously, city crews attempted to clean the police memorial with a power washer but stopped after becoming concerned about causing further damage. A private group is responsible for the memorial and will be contacting someone who specializes in cleaning bronze statues.

The police memorial is one of many that have been damaged during protests sparked by George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody. First, protesters targeted a Confederate leader in Monroe Park Saturday night, followed by the Christopher Columbus statue in Byrd Park Tuesday night. The most recent statue to be torn from its pedestal was Confederate President Jefferson Davis on Monument Avenue Wednesday night.

The J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis monuments have also been covered in graffiti during the protests.

Copyright 2020 WWBT. All rights reserved.

Submit a news tip.