Vandals have spray-painted anti-Semitic and monarchist graffiti on a sculpture in the French palace of Versailles.
Palace staff discovered the damage, which includes phrases such as “The second RAPE of the nation by DEVIANT JEWISH activism,” when they arrived early this morning (Sunday).
The sculpture, a 70-meter tall cavern titled “Dirty Corner” was designed by the Indian-British artist Anish Kapoor. Kapoor, whose mother is Jewish, grew up in India. His statue was also the target of vandalism in June, though the first incident did not include anything related to Jews or Judaism.
French Culture Minister Fleur Pellerin says that today’s crime demonstrates a “fascist vision of culture,” and promised the the authorities will hunt down the perpetrators.
Kapoor himself has acknowledged the sexual nature of the statue, once telling a newspaper that it is symbolic of “the vagina of a queen taking power.” Many interpret the queen to be Marie Antoinette, who once resided at Versailles.