"shocking vandalism" to Japantown 50 year old cherry trees

[Demovictory9]

The branches on both of the historically significant trees on San Francisco's Sutter Street had been hacked off entirely before their buds could bloom, leaving only their gnarled trunks behind. A staff member at the center was the first to discover the slashed trees early Tuesday morning, but after reviewing security footage found that the vandalism had taken place over a span of a few days.

“This was not simply a passerby trying to break a branch off for fun. Someone took their time breaking off every branch,” wrote Osaki, who is the executive director of the center, in a Facebook post. “This was no easy task as some of the larger branches were over 3” thick and the trees 12’ to 15’ feet high.”

In a phone conversation with SFGATE on Thursday afternoon, Osaki said staff had gone through the security footage to find that the vandal started to break down the branches of the flowering trees on New Year’s Day, then later came back over the weekend to “finish the job.”

“The person was just grabbing the branches and working at them over and over again. They just went branch by branch, and then went on to the next tree,” said Osaki. “I think the initial reaction was that we were really sad and hurt when we saw how violently assaulted they were. You look at the pictures and your mouth is just hanging open — why would someone want to destroy them so intently? Especially now, finding out the person kept coming back? It was just so shocking.”

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Two-cherry-blossom-trees-SF-Japantown-vandalized-15853583.php

Link to tweet

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[Raine]

1. This is so sad 😥 nt

[Steelrolled]

2. Hopefully they will identify the vandal from the camera footage.

These days I am just thankful it is only a tree.

edit to fix typo.

[secondwind]

3. Our society is sick. I am saddened beyond the norm.

[diane in sf]

4. I hope they find this sick freak and make it serve hard time planting new trees. Or maybe just

slowly tear its limbs off over a few months.

Sort of harsh, but locally I’m surrounded by jerks blowing off bomb-sized fireworks, sometimes throwing them out of cars accompanied by shooting guns off, circle jerkers offs doing endless sideshows, drive by shootings, crooked and stupid officials, hit and runners, and burglars; and nationally by Republicans being funded to steal elections and install a fascist government.

It’s all too much.

[Bristlecone]

5. Just senseless