This past Sunday at midnight, between 1500 and 2000 vandals descended upon San Diego’s Balboa Park and engaged in a massive squirt gun fight. The participants are responsible for an estimated $10,000 in damage, including damage to plants and aquatic life in the treasured lily pond. Only about two inches of water remain in the pond.
“They broke a critical piece of piping that will keep the water flow in the lily pond,” said City of San Diego Park and Recreation Director Stacey Lomedico. “It is very likely that we may lose all the lilies in the pond today as well as the fish.”
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The suspects left behind water guns and remnants of water balloons, park officials said. Those responsible face serious charges.
“This is gonna be carried as felony vandalism case because of the high dollar value associated with plants, the hardscape, the historic fountain on the other side of the park,” said Lt. Charles Lara with the San Diego Police Department.
San Diego residents and Balboa Park admirers were livid:
Oh, you had a fun watergun fight? I'm sure the dead koi at the Lily Pond are happy for you. http://t.co/KfcacdL7
— Barbarella Fokos (@Barbarellaf) August 12, 2012
Damage to Balboa Park lily pond is truly nauseating.
— Alex Roth (@alexroth3) August 13, 2012
Sad to hear one of the most iconic places in all of SD, Balboa Park’s Lily Pond, was vandalized over the weekend: http://t.co/JzGEw7Or
— Plaza de Panama (@Plaza_de_Panama) August 13, 2012
Very #Disappointed in #SanDiego, Over 1k people participated in the destruction of our #LillyPond at @BalboaPark http://t.co/vOxBtJG1
— Israel Ibañez (@Iz77) August 13, 2012
This is why our generation sucks…#shameful >> Lily pond trashed during Balboa Park water-gun fight http://t.co/bATB8mJa via @utsandiego
— Joey (@TwiGGy_J) August 13, 2012
https://twitter.com/bigdodge_ram/status/235020737923133440
wow the lily pond in balboa park was partly destroyed because almost 1,000 people had a water fight thingy, i'm pissed
— tayler ? (@tayragang) August 13, 2012
This is terrible – people 'playing' water fight in Balboa Park, result in dead fish, lily pad pond. Idiotshttp://t.co/zmrjg5ea
— Patty Lane (@newsdiva) August 13, 2012
Boo, hiss to the imbeciles who organized the Midnight Water Gun Fight @BalboaPark. http://t.co/vWbm7xvd
— Lisa Strickland (@BravaCreative) August 12, 2012
@DDDDDDora did u hear/see what these dumbasses did to the lily pond at Balboa park?
— Daenerys Stormborn (@DarkNLoveleee) August 13, 2012
Balboa Park Lily Pond Vandalized?? Bunch of savages in this town.
— Scott Kingery (@TechLifeWeb) August 13, 2012
Was a beautiful place. What the hell is wrong w/people? MT @LilyShumLeung Vandals trash iconic Balboa Park Lily Pond. http://t.co/eeZMl1cl
— Dave Cieslak (@davecieslak) August 13, 2012
I am ABSOLUTELY INCENSED at the stupidity and immaturity of the people who tore up the Lily Pond at Balboa Park. My blood is boiling.
— ? Spookylady ? (@Spookyladyyy) August 13, 2012
The blogger at Doo Doo Economics has identified progressive activist Ken St. Pierre as the event’s organizer. Visit the blog for more information as well as startling before-and-after photos of the lily pond.
The water fight at Balboa Park is yet another illustration of progressives’ reckless disregard for public property.
If you destroyed the Koi/Lily Pond in Balboa Park last night or know who did but won't come forward, you are despicable. #shameonyou
— Jodie the Ally (@crimsonrambler) August 13, 2012
Indeed. We sincerely hope that all involved in this despicable act are found and punished.
(h/t Charles Fettinger)