HOUSTON – Crews were left to clean up after a 7 foot bronze statue of Christopher Columbus was vandalized Thursday at Bell Park.

A cleaning crew was called to the park in the 4800 block of Montrose Boulevard around 2 a.m. to remove what appeared to be red paint from the figure. They arrived just before 8 a.m. to begin the clean up process.

There was no other damage to the statue, officials said.

Officers at the park cleared the area.

The statue of Christopher Columbus in Bell Park was commissioned by the Italian/American Organizations of Greater Houston, Inc. and created by Houston native and artist Joe L. Incrapera.

The statue was donated to the city by the federation on Oct. 11, 1992, the day before the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the Americas.

Incrapera studied art technique in Barcelona, Spain, drawing in Florence and Italy, and sculpture in India. His style ranges from surrealism to contemporary.

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