Police Searching for Vandals Who Spray-Painted '#MeToo' on Statue of WWII Sailor Kissing Nurse

Florida police are searching for a suspect who vandalized the iconic “Unconditional Surrender” statue in Sarasota with a ‘#MeToo’ message, PEOPLE confirms.

The statue, which commemorated the iconic photo of a sailor kissing a nurse at the end of World War II, was vandalized Monday in the popular Bayfront area of Sarasota.

According to CBS, the vandalism was reported the day after the sailor depicted in the photo, George Mendonsa, died at the age of 95.

Police said they received the call about the vandalism just before 1 a.m. and discovered the words “#MeToo” – the hashtag for the movement against harassment and sexual assault – spray-painted in red along the nurse’s entire left leg.

Police suspect the incident occurred the day before, sometime between the mid-afternoon and evening hours, but they have no video surveillance of the incident.

“Unfortunately we were not able to locate any surveillance cameras in the area,” Sarasota Police Department PIO Genevieve Judge tells PEOPLE. “It is an iconic statue in Sarasota. It is sad that it happened. We are hoping someone saw something or heard someone bragging about it and come forward and let us know.”

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In a press release, police say the damage to the statue is estimated to be more than $1,000.

Judge says the graffiti has since been removed.

The black and white photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt of Mendonsa swooping in to kiss dental assistant Greta Zimmer Friedman on the day Japan surrendered to the United States on Aug. 14, 1945, became one of the most well-known photos of the 20th Century, according to CBS.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Sarasota Police Department Patrol Division at 941-954-7025 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS.

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