In one of the most brazen acts of vandalism in years, someone broke off the horn from the Alpenhorn Man statue at the entrance to Main St. in downtown Smithers late Friday night and threw it onto the street.
Known as Alpine Al by locals, the statue of a man dressed in Swiss alpine garb holding a traditional long Swiss horn has stood as a welcoming symbol for decades, matching the Swiss alpine theme adopted by the town.
“We would like to express our great disappointment at the damage done to our iconic statue,” said Grant Harris from the Smithers Downtown Merchant Association.
Smithers mayor Gladys Atrill called the vandalism “crummy.”
The statue is made out of fibreglass and the horn is in for repairs before being reattached.
The RCMP is gathering information, and anyone with knowledge of the vandalism is asked to call the Smithers RCMP detachment at 250-847-3233.
Harris said people with information can also give him a call at The Interior News, 250-847-3266.
deb.meissner@interior-news.com
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