Children damage more than 100 graves at Saaremaa cemetery
Estonia More than 100 graves were damaged at Kihelkonna cemetery on Saaremaa over the weekend, ERR reports. Police have identified damage to 105 graves.
Two boys, aged eight and 10, were responsible, Saarte Hääl reported. One boy’s parent shared a handwritten apology from the child in a Facebook group for Kihelkonna residents. The boys’ parents and grandparents also apologised to the community.
Gravestones were knocked over and broken, glass in granite grave lanterns was smashed, and flowers were damaged, cemetery caretaker Margus Saar told ERR. He has worked at the cemetery for 21 years and said he had never seen damage on this scale. Saar said he believed the vandalism may have happened on Sunday.
Kuressaare police have opened a criminal investigation under the provision concerning desecration of the memory of the dead, police investigation group head Rein Rand told ERR. Police regional group head Minna Raun said the law provides for a fine or imprisonment, and that the same types of penalties apply when those responsible are minors.