A History of Abuse
Few public monuments have suffered the indignity of vandalism to the degree of Copenhagen's statue of Hans Christian Andersen's "Little Mermaid."
The Symbol of Copenhagen
This statue of the Little Mermaid has served as the symbol of Danish capital city Copenhagen ever since it was first installed at the city's port in 1913. The bronze statue was modeled after the title character of a popular book by childrens' author Hans Christian Andersen.
A Sad Day for Mermaids
On Jan. 1, 1998, the Little Mermaid was decapitated. A few days later, police found her head at a TV production facility in Skovlunde, a suburb of Copenhagen. Four weeks later, police arrested television cameraman Michael Forsmark Poulsen, who they said sawed off the mermaid's head in order to produce "exclusive" TV footage of the crime.
Vanished
The rock where the famous Little Mermaid statue normally sits in Copenhagen, Denmark is seen empty Thursday morning Sept. 11, 2003 after being knocked from her perch into the water. The statue is currently in police custody, who believe vandals knocked the statue from the rock. A small plastic doll was placed on the rock until the statue is returned to its place.
A Mermaid Recovered
The Little Mermaid looks away in sorrow as police technicians examine the damages to the famed statue.