A South Carolina town's newly constructed 9/11 memorial was vandalized with the word 'Taliban' on Saturday, which was the 20th anniversary of the attack.
Paul Nichols, Founder and CEO of Upstate Granite Solutions — the Greenville, S.C. company responsible for the granite monument of the twin towers — says someone spray-painted the name of the fundamentalist organization on two sides of the monument sometime late Saturday night.
'We spent the time and money on this monument in order to bring our community together and unite over the memory of those who died on the attacks 20 years ago, as well as, those first responders who willingly laid down their lives to serve others,' Paul told WSPA.
Upstate Granite Solutions employees were able to remove the damage on Sunday, however company leaders are still upset about the incident.
A granite monument of the twin towers on display in Greenville, S.C. was spray-painted with the word 'Taliban' on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
An Upstate Granite Solutions employee, identifed on social media as Tim (pictured), helped clean the graffiti off of the monument on Sunday morning
'We're not going to change our viewpoint and our stance, but I think we need to be willing to hear why other people are hurt about this, so we can come together as a community,' Kelly Nichols, who is also affiliated with the company, told WYFF.
She says the memorial was intended to show the Greenville community that 'there's still something to believe in in America,' as well as demonstrate how much the company cares and supports military members and first responders.
'This wasn't meant to be divisive. This was meant to unify us,' Kelly added.
Upstate Granite Solutions began working on the memorial — which features two granite slabs designed to look like the World Trade Center's North and South towers — more than a month ago, the Independent reported.
Each 'tower' weighs about 4,000 pounds and stands 13 feet tall. It also includes a light beam that can be seen from 25 miles away. It is also surrounded by American flags.
Construction had been just completed on Wednesday.
The monument (pictured) features two granite slabs designed to look like the World Trade Center's North and South towers. It also includes light beams that can be seen from 25 miles away
Each 'tower' weighs about 4,000 pounds and stands 13 feet tall. The monument is surrounded by American flags
The Nichols say they have received an outpour of support from the community in wake of the vandalism.
'I received a message from a community member saying that the monument had been vandalized,' Paul explained.
'Apparently during the night on Saturday night, someone came through and spray painted the base of the monument and one of the towers with spray paint.'
The company filed a report with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office, which is now investigating the incident.
'After they completed their report we were able to get the spray paint removed with chemical cleaners,' Paul explained.
'[It] takes more than a little spray paint to destroy our spirit of patriotism.'
The act of vandalism comes less than two weeks after the United States withdrew from the now-Taliban controlled country of Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden has faced opposition from Republicans over the decision.
Members of Congress, including Biden's fellow Democrats as well as opposition Republicans, have planned hearings since the Taliban seized control of the country last month after a rapid advance.
Taliban forces stand guard at a roadside Afghan women hold placards during a pro-Taliban rally outside the Shaheed Rabbani Education University in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 11
Taliban soldiers gather with weapons and machinery in Panjshir province northeastern of Afghanistan, Wednesday, Sept. 8
Taliban forces rally to celebrate the withdrawal of US forces in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Sept. 1
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to testify twice this week about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, as lawmakers kick off what could be a long series of high-intensity hearings about the chaotic end to America's longest war.
Legislators have prepared a long list of questions for the veteran diplomat about the rapid collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government and the Biden administration's scramble to evacuate more than 142,000 people, including Americans, at-risk Afghans and others wishing to flee the Taliban.
Some Republicans have even called on Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Blinken all to resign.
Meanwhile, Democrats say they wanted the hearings to address not just the seven months that Biden was president before the country's capital of Kabul was captured by the Taliban but the entire 20 years of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan- under four presidents from both parties.
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