Vandals splatter Lincoln Memorial with green paint

WASHINGTON -- Vandals splashed green paint on the base of the Lincoln Memorial's statue overnight, prompting officials to temporarily close the marble fixture on Washington's National Mall, authorities said.

Police were alerted just before 1:30 a.m. and found paint splattered on the leg and base of the 19-foot-tall statue of Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Park Police Capt. Steven Booker told CNN Friday. There were no discernible letters or markings.

The memorial will be closed until it is cleaned up, Booker said. A timeframe was not given.

From CNN

One of the more iconic features of Washington, the Lincoln Memorial honors the 16th U.S. president. The marble statue of a seated Lincoln resides in nearly 100-foot-high columned marble building facing the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument.

More than 6 million people visited the Lincoln Memorial in 2012, according to the National Park Service.

Dedicated in 1922, it has been the site of a number of protests and gatherings, including the 1963 March on Washington, during which Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the memorial.

From CNN