Heritage | Border Gate’s historic archway vandalized

Police have launched an inquiry after a policeman on patrol at the border gate checkpoint discovered graffiti adorning the historic archway on Saturday afternoon. The vandalism consisted of simplified Chinese characters and was located at the bottom of the archway that once marked the border between Macau and China.
The ink, which covered an area of 0.5 square meters, was removed several hours later. The Cultural Affairs Bureau’s head Ung Vai Meng later visited the monument. Authorities condemned the illegal act and stressed that the offender could face criminal charges if further damage is found to the structure.
Earlier, several people were arrested for committing a similar offence with spray paint on heritage architecture located in the St. Lazarus district, yet the affected area in that instance was much larger than the current case. The repairs reportedly cost the bureau MOP21,000. AU