The iconic Hollywood sign, built in 1923 is a popular landmark and cultural representation situated in on Mount Lee, in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa Monica Mountains. (Photo : YouTube/ AL Davis The Maverick)
Hollywood residents woke up on Jan. 1, Sunday, with the iconic HOLLYWOOD sign changed into word HOLLYWeed. An unidentified prankster dressed in all black vandalized the sign about 3 a.m. on New Year.
The suspect, who is believed to be a man, climbed up Mount Lee by mounting on the protective fence of the HOLLYWOOD sign. The person changed the two letter O's by covering it with black tarpaulin so the letters would appear as lower case "e." The incident was caught on the surveillance video.
The occurrence took place after the recreational marijuana was approved by residents in Nov. 2016. Selling and buying of recreational weeds will be legal starting Jan. 1, 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Los Angeles Police Department is considering a misdemeanor trespassing crime case against the offender who sabotaged the famous HOLLYWOOD sign. The suspect remains at large.
Estevan Montemayor, a spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu, assured that the letters would be restored back to normal earlier that day. The authorities reinstated the letters about 11 a.m.
L.A. Police Officer Christopher Garcia told CNN that it is difficult to identify the race or height of the suspect because it was raining and dark when the HOLLYWOOD sign was altered. Although there are sensors on some letters, the suspect could have avoided it by climbing the back area.
Shelby Garcia, the assistant managing editor of LA Times, shared on Twitter that it was the not first time that the famous Hollywood landmark was vandalized. It was first sabotaged to read "HOLLYWeeD" in 1976.
This is not the first time the Hollywood Sign became the Hollyweed Sign. -- Happened in Dec. 1983 (Her-Ex) pic.twitter.com/dVxXyHt1bo
— Shelby Grad (@shelbygrad) January 1, 2017
Garcia also shared that the HOLLYWOOD sign was altered several times in the 1980s. Once it was changed to Go Navy" in 1983 and then to "RAFFEYSOD" sign in 1985. Cal tech students also changed it to read "Cal tech" in 1987.
The HOLLYWOOD symbol is a famous landmark in Los Angeles, California, overlooking Hollywood. It can be found on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills part of the Santa Monica Mountains.
The 45-foot HOLLYWOOD sign was built in 1923 to promote real estate development in the area. Since then, the iconic sign has gained recognition, but often has been the target of vandalism. It is now protected and managed by The Trust for Public Land. Watch the footage below of the famous landmark:
