Vandals cause $30,000 damage to Old Santa Barbara Mission
Vandals have caused as much as $30,000 in damage to historic Old Mission Santa Barbara, splattering it with red paint and spraying “rape” and a misspelled version of the word “genocide” across its stone facade.
Our Santa Barbara sister station KEYT report vandals struck sometime before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, when a passer-by saw the damage and called police.
The words “never forget the lives + land stolen” were also written in red paint on a side building.
The word “genecide” (sic) was sprayed near the front entrance.
Mission officials say the damage could cost $30,000 to repair.
Police hope surveillance video can lead them to suspects.
The mission, founded in 1786, is a popular tourist attraction as well as active parish serving hundreds of families.
