By Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The Confederate monument and cannon that sit in front of the Botetourt County Courthouse were vandalized with red paint last Tuesday at 1:35 a.m. by a female suspect who was captured on surveillance video.
“We would like to remind all citizens that while peaceful protests are fundamental to our democratic way of life, the destruction of the property is harmful to our community and diverts limited public resources that could provide more benefit when applied to other initiatives,” Botetourt County said in a statement.
County maintenance crews removed all of the paint by the middle of the day.
The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office said that an investigator has been assigned to the case. “If a suspect is developed, we will present the matter to the Commonwealth attorney about charges to be placed,” Major J.R. Mandeville said.
According to the inscription on the monumnet, it was erected in 1904 “to commemorate the deeds and service of the twelve volunteer companies that went to the war from Botetourt County.”
