Yemassee mural honoring military vandalized; Police combing through security footage

YEMASSEE, S.C. (WTOC) - For nearly six years, a mural of a Marine was painted on a town-owned building in the Town of Yemassee for thousands to see.

However, over the weekend, the mural was vandalized.

Someone took the time to cover the massive ode to service in several layers of paint, which was the last straw for residents.

They are tired of seeing people vandalize their town and want someone to be held responsible for their actions.

“For anyone to have a problem with a mural honoring our service members, specifically the Marine Corps, is despicable, and there needs to be consequences for it,” Former Yemassee councilman David Murray said.

The mural was painted to honor the military, but more importantly, the U.S. Marine Corps.

“It has just been a source of pride for the town to have really paid respect and memorialized the history,” Murray said.

It was located across the street from another mural and a Veterans Memorial Park, where soldiers used to go after getting off the train and wait before taking the bus to Parris Island.

“Many Marines spent time here in Yemassee,” Yemassee Mayor Colin Moore said. “We count them as family as well.”

People in town believe they have a good idea of who did it because they have had problems with a property owner near the mural in the past.

“Every time he loses in court, he will come back, and if you don’t keep an eye on him, he keeps piling up junk on our property,” Moore said.

Police officers want to make sure any charges brought stand up in court.

So, they are combing through surveillance footage from several cameras that show different views of the scene before making an arrest.

“We think the world of the veterans and military, and we support them wholeheartedly,” Moore said. “If anyone messes with them, they mess with the town.”

Murray says that he has already been in touch with someone to try to get a banner of the mural put up until a new one can be painted.