A prominent statue of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in downtown San Francisco has been left severely damaged after a brazen act of vandalism, with the perpetrator apparently taking inspiration from a post on social media platform Instagram.
The infamous 'Forever Marilyn' sculpture, which depicts the star in her iconic pose from the film The Seven Year Itch, was found defaced with red paint splattered across its legs on Wednesday morning. The vandalism targeted the statue's famous uplifted skirt and legs.
Instagram Post Fuels Suspicion
San Francisco Police Department investigators are treating the incident as a direct result of an online challenge. A now-deleted Instagram post is believed to have encouraged followers to vandalise the statue, specifically instructing them to "paint her red".
Authorities are currently reviewing security footage from the area in an attempt to identify the individual responsible for the costly damage.
A Controversial Sculpture's Troubled History
This is not the first time the 26-foot-tall statue has found itself at the centre of controversy. Since its installation in San Francisco's Union Square, it has been a subject of intense debate.
Many critics have labelled the sculpture as sexist and objectifying, arguing it reduces the late actress to a sexualised caricature rather than celebrating her artistic legacy. The work, created by sculptor Seward Johnson, has faced protests and calls for its removal from the city centre prior to this act of criminal damage.
The clean-up operation is now underway, with restoration experts assessing the extent of the damage to the multi-million dollar artwork.
