TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Two suspects were detained Monday evening on charges of vandalizing a pair of lion-like stone statues in front of a Taipei elementary school that they said were "guarding the souls of dead Japanese soldiers." Shilin District prosecutors initially decided to release former Taipei City Councilor Lee Cheng-lung (李承龍) and accomplice Chiu Chin-wei (邱晉芛) on NT$50,000 (US$1,658) bail each. Lee and Chiu claimed that the statues are symbols of Japanese culture and therefore not suitable for display at the front gate of an elementary school. Lai said the statues mean a lot to Yixian Elementary School, which sees them not just as sacred creatures guarding the school but also relics of the past that can teach students history. The former Taipei City Councilor lung used large hammers to knock off the bottom half of a stone guard dog.

Source: The China Post May 29, 2017 13:52 UTC