BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) – An 18-year-old is facing charges of spray painting graffiti on the Bennington Battle Monument, Vermont’s tallest manmade structure, police said Wednesday.

David Cowan of Bennington has been cited to appear in court on March 25 on unlawful mischief charges, Police Chief Richard Gauthier said.

“Heroes?” was written in red near the base of the 306-foot obelisk, along with a capital “A” inside a circle, which is the symbol for anarchy.

The graffiti was discovered on the monument Thursday.

Police had been investigating a second suspect, but Gauthier said Wednesday that he had nothing to do with the damage.

The monument was built to commemorate the Battle of Bennington in 1777, even though the battle occurred in nearby New York. In it, Gen. John Stark defended supplies from British forces.

In Vermont, Aug. 16 is celebrated as Bennington Battle Day.

AP-ES-02-20-08 1451EST


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.