Vandals damage Chinese lion statues at Tacoma park

TACOMA, Wash. — Irreparable damage has been done to two granite lions in front of Tacoma's Chinese Reconciliation Park.

The statues guard the pavilion in front of the park on Schuster Parkway.

Each lion was carved out of a whole piece of granite, including a ball of granite inside each of the lions’ mouths which was carved from within.

The News Tribune reports vandals have damaged the lions in the past, including chips to the tongues and teeth of the lions.

In the latest incident, someone smashed the statues’ mouths to remove the carved granite balls inside.

Cox Media Group