Junipero Serra statue beheaded, splashed with red paint in Central California

Father Junipero Serra, Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA. Father Junipero Serra, Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA. Photo: (Photo By: Citizens Of The Planet/UIG Via Getty Images) Photo: (Photo By: Citizens Of The Planet/UIG Via Getty Images) Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close Junipero Serra statue beheaded, splashed with red paint in Central California 1 / 28 Back to Gallery

A bronze statue of the Roman Catholic priest Junipero Serra at the Old Santa Barbara Mission was decapitated and doused with red paint on Sunday night or early Monday morning.

The statue, on the western side of the Central Coast property near the mission's office, has since been covered with a tarp. The Santa Barbara mission has been called the "Queen of the Missions."

The statue was vandalized in a similar fashion as another Father Serra statue in Monterey last year. That figure, which was beheaded but not painted, has since been repaired. Another, in Santa Cruz, was vandalized with the word "genocide" in late 2015.

Serra was a Franciscan friar in the 18th century who founded nine of the state's 21 missions. He was canonized as a saint in 2015 by Pope Francis — a decision that met criticism by those who believe Serra unfairly treated Native Americans. Some say that Serra "imposed" Christianity upon natives, forcing them convert and then work on building missions while relinquishing their traditions, customs, dress, and language in favor of Spanish ones.

KEYT in Santa Barbara reports that the local police have already visited the scene to take a report (there are two security cameras near the statue), and that the statue will be removed and replaced.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

