Iconic Sarasota V-J Day Statue Defaced By Vandal

SARASOTA, FL -- Sarasotoans woke up to a vandal's handiwork on Tuesday in downtown Sarasota and police are asking for the public's help in finding the person responsible for defacing an iconic V-J Day statue.

Sarasota police are looking for the person who spray painted "#MeToo" in red paint on the work called "Unconditional Surrender." Police discovered the vandalism at 12:53 a.m. along the intersection of North Gulfstream Avenue and Bayfront Drive.

The statue by well-known American sculptor Seward Johnson captures the moment in Times Square when a sailor and nurse spontaneously kissed at the conclusion of World War II. Couples often try to recreate the famous kiss when they visit the work along the Sarasota waterfront.

The sailor shown in the kiss was George Mendonsa, who died Sunday at the age of 95, according to the Associated Press. He kissed Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant in a nurse's uniform, on Aug. 14, 1945. The two had never met before.

"The red lettering covered the length of the nurse’s leg," explained Genevieve Judge of the Sarasota Police Department. "A canvass by officers was conducted in the area to locate spray paint bottles, however, none were found."

Judge said that police did not immediately discover any additional vandalism during the overnight hours.

"There was no available surveillance video in the area that captured the incident," she said. "There are no known witnesses."

Police believe that the vandalism occurred on Monday sometime between mid afternoon and evening

"It is unknown exactly what time," Judge said.

She added that the damage to the statue has been estimated at more than $1,000 because of the size of the area that must be restored.

"The city of Sarasota Public Works has been notified," she added.

To report a tip, call the Sarasota Police Department Patrol Division at 941-954-7025. Alternatively, contact Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or visit www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.

Photos courtesy city of Sarasota