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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
John Scheerhout

Fury as mindless vandals attack Manchester Arena memorial AGAIN

A vandal has attacked a memorial to the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack.

They have scratched a series of lines into the white marble 'halo' featuring the names of the 22 who died in the May 2017 attack.

Council officials have handed to police CCTV of a suspect, a man who was captured at the 'Glade of Light' memorial in Manchester city centre at about 2.15am today (Wednesday), the M.E.N. understands.

It's the second act of vandalism at the memorial in two months.

READ MORE: Heartbreak as 'fit and healthy' woman, 23, dies months after shock diagnosis

In December, fences were pulled down and family members of some of the victims of the atrocity reported people 'being sick and urinating' nearby.

Following the latest incident, Manchester City Council's city centre spokesman said: "These scrawlings are shameful and an insult to all those who lost their lives.

"We have three CCTV cameras on there so these vandals will be caught.

A vandal has left scratch marks in the white marble 'halo' (STEVE ALLEN)

"These idiots have let down Manchester."

At least 15 different places around the marble halo have been vandalised with scratch marks.

The memorial was only opened to the public last month. An official unveiling will take place in the spring ahead of the fifth anniversary of the attack.

Bereaved families have made personalised memory capsules containing mementos and messages which are embedded inside the halo.

Scratch marks beside the name of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 who died in the attack (STEVE ALLEN)

The tribute was conceived as a living memorial - a peaceful garden space for remembrance and reflection, featuring plants which grow naturally in the UK countryside and which have been selected to provide year-round colour and echo the changing seasons.

Around the anniversary of the bombing every year - May 22 - the white flowers of a hawthorn tree planted at its centre will bloom.

An outer circle path, including seating, has been included to enable people to linger in the garden for longer while preserving the intimacy of the halo area.

When it was opened to the public last month, Figen Murray, mother of Martyn Hett who lost his life in the bombing, told the Manchester Evening News: "The memorial is very important for the city of Manchester, as well as the bereaved families and all those who were injured, physically and psychologically.

"It was an attack on the city and democracy.

"The memorial is for the people of Manchester as well as us and future generations, so school children and young people are told about what happened."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said they were aware of the incident and would comment further later.

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