A monument dedicated to Confederate soldiers in a historic Fairfax, Virginia cemetery was vandalized.
White paint was splashed across the base of the monument in Fairfax City Cemetery early Thursday morning by an unknown person, authorities said.
Fairfax mayor David Meyer visited the site after the vandalism occurred.
"While the recent events in Charlottesville are abhorrent and inconsistent with the democratic principles of our republic, vandalizing graves also does not reflect the values of our community, our commonwealth, and our nation," the mayor said.
The cemetery was founded in 1866 when a ladies’ group purchased the land as a burial place for those “who fell in battle or died from wounds incident to and while they were in the service of the Confederate States,” according to the City of Fairfax website.
The monument was erected in 1888 to honor unknown Confederate soldiers who died in Fairfax County and Confederate soldiers from Fairfax County.
The Fairfax city government took control of the cemetery in 1962.
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Authorities said the paint has been removed. The City of Fairfax Police Department is investigating the incident, authorities said.
