Iconic Monument defaced by Palestine protestors in Union Square
On Christmas Eve, a historic mural was defaced by pro-Palestine protestors in San Francisco’s Union Square. This was documented by a photograph on Twitter with the following caption: ‘Hamas supporters defacing an American monument in San Francisco’s Union Square.’ The picture also showed a number of Palestinian flags and one protestor who had even climbed onto the mural. As seen, the base of the mural had an upside down, red triangle sprayed onto it.
The photographer who captured the image later explained that the red upside-down triangle is a Hamas symbol that references the 2023 conflict. It has apparently been used online for several months to symbolize resistance for Palestine supporters.
Unsurprisingly, the defacing of the mural didn’t go down well with many San Francisco residents who saw it as an attack on US freedom. Overall, the tweet gained nearly 500 comments, with many of them condemning the vandalism.
The monument was erected to commemorate Admiral George Dewey’s victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War in 1898. The monument also pays tribute to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who dedicated the monument in 1905. At this moment in time, it is believed that the graffiti still remains. However, like many defaced monuments, this should be repaired within the next few days.
