Vandals hit Confederate monument in Hillsborough

A Confederate monument in Hillsborough County was splashed with red paint over the weekend, according to reports.

A 911 call from a passerby alerted the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to the red paint, as well as derogatory comments painted on the base near the memorial's large Confederate flag, according to Bay News 9.

The property where the memorial is located on U.S. 92, near the Interstate 75 and Interstate 4 interchange, is maintained by a local Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter, Bay News 9 reported.

Officials from the SCV told Bay News 9 the vandalism is a reaction to the events in Virginia.

Hillsborough County commissioners voted on July 19 to remove a downtown Tampa Confederate monument, according to Bay News 9.

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 9:09 AM with the headline "Vandals hit Confederate monument in Hillsborough."