Houston's MLK statue vandalized

The Martin Luther King Jr. statue in MacGregor Park, photographed Saturday evening. Houston police were called to the scene Friday night after the statue was damaged during what appeared to be an act of vandalism. A city park ranger doing routine checks around 11 p.m. noticed two men striking the $120,000 bronze statue with a metal object, according to city report. When the ranger approached the alleged vandals, they fled the scene. The report only describes the suspects as "two black males." Authorities believe they were teenagers less The Martin Luther King Jr. statue in MacGregor Park, photographed Saturday evening. Houston police were called to the scene Friday night after the statue was damaged during what appeared to be an act of ... more Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Houston's MLK statue vandalized 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Houston police were called to MacGregor Park Friday night after the Martin Luther King Jr. statue was damaged during what appeared to be an act of vandalism.

A city park ranger doing routine checks around 11 p.m. noticed two men striking the $120,000 bronze statue with a metal object, according to city report.

When the ranger approached the alleged vandals, they fled the scene. The report only describes the suspects as "two black males." Authorities believe they were teenagers.

Rangers noticed minor damages on the back of the statue, which was unveiled in May. Houston Police officers were also called to the scene to file a report.

Community leaders were appalled by the incident.

"More than anything else, it's just disrespectful," said Ovide Duncantell, director of the Black Heritage Society.

The statue was the culmination of a decade-long project by the Black Heritage Society. It was dedicated to Houston's public art collection and the city maintain the statue and the memorial plaza where it sits. The 8-foot-tall figure depicts the slain civil rights leader in a flowing clerical robe holding a Bible and looking toward the corner of Old Spanish Trail and MLK Boulevard. It was placed near a live oak planted in King's honor and across from a platform on Metro's southeast rail line. Metro's contributed roughly $750,000 to the building and maintenance of the memorial plaza and the tree.

Terence Fontaine, executive vice president of government and public affairs for Metro, said while the damage is repairable, it's disheartening to know anyone would do such a thing.

"This is a community statue, a community monument," said Fontaine, who lives three blocks from the statue and dedicated much of his own funds to the project. "Every single person in our community should be protecting it from vandalism."