Monument vandalism linked to lack of damage claim, security issues

The Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Mount Royal Avenue is one of several Confederate statues being considered for possible removal by the city. It was vandalized Saturday with red paint. The “Spirit of the Confederacy” statue was erected in 1903. courtesy

Security issues, including a fence with breaks in it, and a lack of a timely insurance claim are to blame for vandalism and damage to monuments that had been moved to storage at a Department of Transportation yard, according to an Office of the Inspector General of the City of Baltimore report.

On Aug. 16, 2016, former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake requested a special commission be formed regarding Baltimore City’s Confederate monuments, according to the report.

It was determined by the commission that the city owns the monuments, but the State of Maryland has an easement on them that was established in March 1984.

On Aug. 15, 2017, former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh ordered the removal of four of the Confederate monuments, including the busts of Roger B. Taney, Lee Jackson, a collection of Confederate soldiers and sailors, and the Confederate Women’s monument.

Upon being removed, these monuments were stored at a DOT yard.

According to the report, the Office of the Inspector General received an anonymous complaint in June 2020 that the DOT was unsecured, and that signs of vandalism were present. Additionally, the complainant told officials that they could see the monuments in plain sight from a nearby walking trail.

The Office on the Inspector General responded by sending a referral to DOT due to security concerns, and the DOT said that they would place a fence along the property lines and tarps would be bought to cover the monuments.

However, over time, the tarps began to be destroyed, and according to the OIG report, the DOT installed a fence around the monuments after damage had already occurred.

Officials from the DOT also said that the yard where monuments were stored were secured from the front by a security guard, but the property had several break-ins. In Sept. 2022, officials from Baltimore City visited the DOT yard, and discovered that the monuments had been vandalized.

The OIG report says that the risk finance manager for the city was informed that damages were estimated to cost between $20,000 and $30,000, and that an estimate should be obtained and a police report should be filed.

According to the city’s administrative manual and its policies and procedures for filing property claims, any damaged city-owned property should be reported within 24 hours of discovery.

However, an insurance claim was not pursued and no claim was filed at that time.

In Sept. 2023, the Maryland Historical Trust notified city officials that during an inspection of the monuments, several damages were noticed, including red paint splatter, several drilled holes and active corrosion, among other reported damages.

Officials also found that the scabbard of Robert. E. Lee was cut off and missing, and the right arm of the shoulder on the Confederate soldiers and sailors monument had been cut off.

In Nov. 2023, the statues were moved from the DOT yard to be stored in Los Angeles. When the OIG visited the DOT yard in July 2024, they found a large imprint from where the monuments were stored, and that bent bard-wired fence helped separate the yard. Additionally, officials noted that a perimeter fence was located about 20 feet from where the monuments were stored, but it had an opening at each end.

The OIG recommended that DOT review the perimeter of the yard to verify the fence was secure and included no gaps, however, during a final site visit on Jan. 16, 2025, three breaks in the fence were located.

According to the OIG report, the DOT says it will ensure all managers and personnel will be briefed on how to report damage to property in a timely fashion.

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