A recent act of vandalism at Papago Park in Tempe has left a butte defaced with a large, asterisk-shaped symbol painted in blue and white, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. According to city officials, the cost to remove the graffiti from this environmentally sensitive and culturally significant area is estimated to run into the thousands—an unwelcome expense borne by taxpayers.
The painted symbol, approximately 12 feet in length, has sparked curiosity and concern among residents and city officials alike, especially because of its mysterious nature and the fact that it's painted on a site considered sacred by local tribes, which, according to Alex Jovanovic, deputy director of community services for the city of Tempe, makes its removal both important and urgent, even though its meaning remains elusive as he told FOX 10 Phoenix, "Something like this is considered desecration to their sacred spaces."
Adding to concerns, a similar incident at Tempe's "A" Mountain near Arizona State University's campus in the past has damaged native petroglyphs, and the removal process has proven not only delicate but expensive, as cited by Tempe spokesperson Kris Baxter-Ging in a statement to KJZZ. The graffiti in question presently marred the Papago Park Preserve is likened to the Star of Life symbol commonly used by emergency medical services.
The cost has indeed rankled locals, who see better uses for such sums of money, with one resident pronouncing to FOX 10 Phoenix, "We could use those thousand dollars for something better." "Something for the kids or something like that," the resident added. Meanwhile, the city has called upon the public's assistance in tracking down those responsible for the vandalism, urging anyone with helpful information to come forward, potentially anonymously.
