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Confederate Graves In Arkansas Vandalized, Cemetery Will Add Cameras

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A cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas will add additional cameras after several Confederate burial sites were vandalized July 11, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

Oakland Cemetery was broken into early July 11 and several sites were vandalized, including an obelisk symbolizing 900 unidentified Confederate soldiers, 9 gravestones of unidentified Confederate soldiers and a stone located on a named soldier’s grave. Vandals spray-painted “Black Lives Matter” and “fuck Trump” on the burial sites, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Sexton John Rains said that the cemetery will add 10 more cameras, which were donated by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He said that the cameras that were already there – which were also donated by the Sons of Confederate Veterans – allowed them to identify two of the vandals. (RELATED: Over Half Of Americans Oppose Removing Confederate Statues, WaPo Poll Finds)

Rains added that the cameras were put up about a week before the incident, and that “it was total luck,” according to the report.

“Desecration of any grave is a crime, and the Little Rock Police Department is fully investigating,” said Stephanie Jackson, spokeswoman for Democratic Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Jackson added that the vandalism “isn’t unique to Little Rock.”

“As you’re aware, people all over the U.S. and in Arkansas have called for the removal of Confederate statues,” she said. “The base of the Confederate Statue at MacArthur Park being vandalized is just one example.”

Rains, who has worked at the cemetery for 9 years, said that the Oakland Cemetery hadn’t had problems with crime until earlier this month, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

None of the burial sites that were vandalized are covered by insurance and the cost of replacing them will fall entirely on the cemetery, Rains said according to the report. The Sons of Confederate Veterans, who donated 9 of the headstones that were vandalized, will help with the cost, according to Rains.