Arm Cut Off Reagan Statue in Poland, Police Searching for Vandals
The arm was cut off a Reagan statue in Gdasnk, Poland Tuesday and police are now searching for the vandals who committed the crime. The bronze work depicts the president alongside Pope John Paul II and honors their fight against communism in the country.
The arm cut off of the Reagan statue was stolen, as authorities have yet to discover it. Fortunately, the $30,000 in damage can likely be repaired in a few weeks or less, the artist who created the piece told the Associated Press.
The statue of Reagan and Pope John Paul II was created from a 1987 Associated Press photo taken by Scott Stewart in honor of the duo's efforts to bring down communism in Poland. Reagan's Cold War against the Soviet Union has elevated him to legendary status in the country, and his wife, Nancy Reagan, was given the Order of the White Eagle in 2007. In addition, a roundabout has been named after the late president in Wroclaw, Poland.
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The popularity of the statue has led to a search by authorities for the vandals, Lucyna Rykowska, a spokeswoman for the Gdasnk police department, told AP.
Visitors to the park often leave flowers at the statue and have commented on the acts of the vandals, condemning them.
The image of President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II was taken on the Catholic leader's second trip to the U.S. The statue was created and unveiled a year ago.
