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More green paint found on Washington landmarks

Posted at 5:24 PM, Jul 29, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-29 17:24:36-04

Washington (CNN) — Splashes of paint have turned up on two more landmarks in the nation’s capital, days after similar vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial led to its temporary closure.

Officials said it was not clear whether the paint discovered Monday at the National Cathedral and on a statue outside the Smithsonian Castle was related to the incident last week at the Lincoln Memorial, though all three locations were marred with green paint.

At the cathedral, located in Washington’s Northwest quadrant, the paint was discovered splattered on an organ console and casework inside the historic Bethlehem Chapel, located in the building’s lower level. A spokesman said the paint was wet when it was discovered. Paint was also found in the Children’s Chapel, located in the cathedral’s nave.

A search of the cathedral caused the popular tourist destination to close temporarily Monday afternoon.

Five miles south, on the National Mall, green paint was discovered on a statue outside the Smithsonian Institution Building, known widely as the “Castle.” Linda St. Thomas, the Smithsonian Institution’s chief spokeswoman, said the statue is of Joseph Henry, the first secretary of the federally administered group of museums.

St. Thomas said that the paint appeared similar to that found on the Lincoln Memorial and that the U.S. Park Police, which manage the National Mall, were determining whether the paint was the same.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the paint discovered at the Smithsonian Castle was found — St. Thomas said security guards first noticed it on Sunday afternoon, while Park Police Sgt. Paul Brooks said it was first reported on Friday.

Brooks said that his agency wasn’t able to determine how old the paint was and that it could have been on the statue for “a while.”

The incidents Monday came three days after the Lincoln Memorial was temporarily closed after green paint was discovered on the iconic Washington site. Vandals splashed the paint on the base of the statue of the 16th president overnight.

No arrests have been made in any of the vandalism.

CNN’s Erin McPike, Carol Cratty, Dan Merica and Jonathan Helman contributed to this report.