The Confederate memorial at Bicentennial Park was reported to have been vandalized two days before the Williamsburg City Council talked about possibly removing it from city property.
But that was when it was reported — Williamsburg Police are still unsure when the vandalism happened.
Police spokesman John Heilman said someone had reported the incident on June 6 and officers responded the same day at 8 p.m.
The memorial had an “X” crossing out the Confederate flags and the letters “BLM” on the memorial’s base in spray paint.
“And we’re asking for the public’s assistance if anyone knows who did it,” he said on a phone call Tuesday.
Heilman originally said the damage is estimated at “greater than $200.”
“They had someone from Colonial Williamsburg come look at it,” Heilman said. “They quoted $200 to remove the spray paint.”
“The damage hasn’t been evaluated since then,” he added.
Heilman said police provided statements to other media outlets — about needing the public’s assistance — after reporters inquired about the entry in the daily police log.
He said he was “pretty sure” they posted something on Facebook.
But the department’s Facebook page didn’t show a post asking for tips about the incident.
It’s unclear whether the City Council knew about the vandalism before discussing the memorial’s possible removal from Bicentennial Park and if the city plans to remove the residual spray paint.
Authorities are asking anyone who may know anything that would help in their investigation of the incident to call Williamsburg Police at 757-220-2331 or the Peninsula Crime at 888-LOCK-U-UP.
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