Officials have temporarily closed the visitor's center at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial after vandalism last week.
A firefighter reported Friday that someone had painted "Black Lifes Matter" on a pillar at the memorial and written things in the sign-in book at the visitor's center, said Jim Luty, Firefighters Memorial president. Luty did not say what was written in the book. A former board member used a pressure washer to remove the paint, but the board felt it should close the center while police investigate the vandalism, Luty said.
Former Gov. Tommy Thompson designated Ben Hansen Park as the site of the State Firefighters Memorial in 1996, The groundbreaking and first Final Roll Call Ceremony took place at the park in 2003. The firefighters' statue was unveiled in 2004, the names on the wall in 2006 and the visitor center opened in 2010.