Vandal defaces Glendale monument depicting ‘comfort women’ of WWII

Vandal defaces Glendale monument depicting ‘comfort women’ of WWII

by City News Service

A Glendale monument commemorating Korean “comfort women” who were held against their will during World War II has been vandalized for at least the second time this year, police said Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Someone used a black marker on Monday to deface the Korean Comfort Women Peace Monument at Glendale Central Park in the 200 block of Brand Boulevard, according to Glendale Police Department Sgt. Dan Suttles. Several nearby flower pots were also knocked over.

The hoodie-clad vandal was recorded on surveillance video, which was released to the media and was being reviewed by investigators, Suttles said.

On July 22, someone smeared a substance on the monument and smashed some of the flower pots, police said.

The monument was installed in July of 2013 with the cooperation of the Korea-Glendale Sister City Association, officials said.

Korean Comfort Women Peace Monument Vandalized https://t.co/eppK19gjSW pic.twitter.com/7MC6O9qjr9

— Glendale PD (@GlendalePD) September 18, 2019

The term “comfort women” refers to women and girls who were treated as sex slaves in areas conquered by the Japanese during World War II. The monument, which depicts a representation of a comfort woman, was paid for and is maintained by the Korean American Forum of California.

“The City Council supported the installation of the Comfort Women Peace Monument as a lasting tribute to the suffering of women and girls of many nationalities during World War II and to promote peace between all. The city of Glendale takes this incident very seriously and will take all measures to apprehend the perpetrators and hold them accountable in court,” according to a statement issued by Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian after the July incident.

Anyone with information about the vandalism was urged to call the Glendale Police Department at 818-548-4911.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or lacrimestoppers.org.

All credit goes to City News Service Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com