"KISS" Graffiti on Facade of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Case information
Incident date
Country
Spain
Place
Santiago de Compostela
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Church
Place of Incident
  • Church
Bias Indicators
  • Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: Policía Nacional Twitter Page

A 12th century sculpture on the facade of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was painted to make the statue look like a member of American rock band KISS. The name "KISS" was also written across the body of the statue. The marble statue was restored the same afternoon and the police started looking for the perpetrator who, if found guilty, would face a fine of between 6,000 and 150,000 euros.

The Regional Minister of Culture of the Xunta, Román Rodríguez, had called the acts a "barbarity" and "an authentic cultural attack".

The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the mayor of the city, Martino Norgiega, said that though they are a tolerant city they are intolerant of such acts.

Sources: ABC.es, euronews, El Mundo, El País, La Razon, La Voz de Galicia and La Vanguardia

Sources