Anne Frank monument defaced with 鈥楪aza鈥� graffiti in Amsterdam
A statue of Anne Frank in Amsterdam was vandalized with 鈥淕aza鈥� graffiti, drawing criticism from the city鈥檚 mayor.
Photos show the word 鈥淕aza鈥� scrawled in red paint across the podium of the statue, which was erected in a park close to where Frank and her family lived before being forced into hiding. It shows her wearing several layers of clothing as the family worried that carrying suitcases would arouse suspicion.
Mayor Femke Halsema fiercely condemned the defacing of the memorial, saying, 鈥淣o Palestinian has been helped by smearing her so precious statue.鈥�
鈥淭his young girl, who was so brutally murdered by the Nazis at the age of 15, reminds us and our city every day of humanity and gentleness, in the most difficult circumstances,鈥� Halsema posted on Instagram.
鈥淲hoever it was, shame on you! There is no excuse for this,鈥� she added.
Amsterdam police have opened an investigation into the incident. No one has yet been arrested.
A police spokesperson told CNN Wednesday that police received a report of vandalism on Tuesday afternoon. 鈥淥fficers went to the statue, saw the graffiti and started an investigation,鈥� the spokesperson said.
Anne Frank鈥檚 diary is often many young people鈥檚 first introduction to the horrors of the Holocaust. In 1944, the famous diarist and seven other Jewish people hiding in the Amsterdam secret annex were detained.
They had hid for nearly two years in a secret annex above a canal-side warehouse in Amsterdam, before they were deported and Anne died in the Bergen Belsen camp at age 15.