BEL AIR, Md. — The large sign is missing from its base just off Interstate 95 at Route 24 in Harford County designating the route as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
“State Police at our Bel Air Barrack received the report of a sign that had been clearly vandalized, and this call came in early on a Friday morning less than a week after we had celebrated Veterans Day,” said Elena Russo of the Maryland State Police.
Someone used black spray paint to write the words “Free Palestine” across the width of the highway designation sign choosing to share their message at the expense of the vets’ memorial while damaging it in the process.
“You take whichever side you want to fall on,” said Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, “Espouse it all you want, but when you take that to defacing a sign is one thing, and it’s even worse when you take it to defacing a sign that is out there, again, in memory of our fallen soldiers who have died defending this county for that right to speak freely, and it’s a disgusting act.”
The Maryland Department of Transportation removed the sign within a few hours of the vandalism and work is underway to repair it.
As passionate as the vandal or vandals may feel about their cause, defacing the sign could carry some stiff consequences.
“This is a malicious destruction of property,” explained Russo, “It is a misdemeanor and whoever in responsible for this crime faces not just a hefty fine, but also up to three years imprisonment.”
if you have any information about this crime, you’re asked to call the Bel Air Barrack at 410-838-4101.
