Turn the tables on monument vandals

We take no pleasure in reporting the mindless vandalism caused at Penshaw Monument.

It is not pleasant for anyone to be confronted by such damaging messages of hate on one of Sunderland’s most visible landmarks.

The monument is synonymous with Sunderland, unlike those offensive daubs from a mindless minority.

The Nazi symbolism, homophobic slurs and promotion of hate have nothing to do with our city.

And be assured, we do not publish the graffiti to shock, we do it in an effort to expose those responsible.

Nothing would give us greater pleasure than to see the offenders brought to book and, ideally, made to scrub the monument clean. As the monument’s general manager Mick Wilkes tells us today, this is a regional treasure for the public and heartbreaking to see it vandalised.

He said: “We are saddened by the vandalism to this special place. As a conservation charity, the National Trust works hard to keep Penshaw Monument and the surrounding land at its best so that it can be enjoyed and treasured by the general public.

“It’s incredibly frustrating. The cost to remove the damage will be a drain on our charitable resources after an already difficult year for the National Trust.”

If you have any information that could lead to the identification of those responsible, we would urge you to do the right thing and pass it on to the police. They would receive it with pleasure.