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Vandalism closes Cathedral of St. Andrew

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / SEPT. 12, 2007 This 2007 photo shows the exterior of St. Andrew's Cathedral and its stained glass windows.

The Cathedral of St. Andrew was vandalized Tuesday night, prompting church officials to close the cathedral Wednesday.

Large pieces of stone were thrown against the oldest of the cathedral’s stained glass windows, sending shards of glass into the cathedral’s interior, according to a notice issued by the Episcopal church, 229 Queen Emma Square.

Walter Brownridge, dean of St. Andrew Cathedral, said damages to two stained-glass windows were estimated at $8,000 each.

The incident marked the second apparent vandalism attack within in the past few weeks. A week ago Monday, furniture and the church’s harpsichord were damaged, he said.

The cathedral in Downtown Honolulu is scheduled to open for regular services and events Thursday.

31 responses to “Vandalism closes Cathedral of St. Andrew”

  1. richierich says:

    There are so many homeless heroin and crack junkies living around there and in the park across the street from the Pacific Club. HPD should do there job and clean this place up.

    • palani says:

      Doesn’t sound like a homeless crime, since nothing was taken. More likely, it was kids with too much time on there hands, or anti-religious thugs.

  2. Crackers says:

    Hawaii seems to have the lowest class of people. I can go into shopping malls, parks in not so good parts of California, and there is soap and paper, and the fixtures are clean and working. In Hawaii the lowlifes desecrate graves, graffiti everything, destroy bathroom fixtures. A large section of Hawaii do not have any pride, any class. It is as if there is some feeling of theirs that they are entitled to do whatever they want. Run red lights, blow through stop signs. The Aloha spirit is largely GONE from Hawaii.

    • papio5 says:

      Also all the litter you see on the streets, beaches and parks.

    • sailfish1 says:

      Hawaii does have a lot of low class people. However, there are penty of low class people on the mainland too, even in California. Ever try to use the restroom at a fast food restaurant like McDonald’s? In many areas of California, they have to lock the restroom doors and you will have to ask for the key from a worker at the counter. I think they do this because lots of low lifes walk into the restrooms and make a mess in them.

    • DeltaDag says:

      Mayor Rudy Giuliani did implement the “broken windows theory” in New York City back in the 1990s with some success. His hired police commissioner vigorously enforced laws against graffiti vandalism, public drunkeness and urination, as well as aggressive panhandling. It was essentially a zero tolerance approach to everyday petty and quality of life crimes. Did it work? The general safety and welcoming atmosphere of present-day Times Square can be contrasted to Times Square as it was in the 1960s to the early 1990s. Giuliani can’t take all of the credit for the transformation, but he can claim some.

      I don’t see a campaign like Giuliani’s being fought in the Hawaii of 2016. The political will just isn’t there.

      • HRS134 says:

        Giuliani is a smart man. More folks could benefit from his tactics.

      • HanabataDays says:

        It was a scorched earth policy that targeted minorities first (as usual). Nobody in NY would take Giuliani back as mayor these days, he’s been effectively marginalized except as a talking head on second rate media.

        • kekelaward says:

          Probably true, but DeBlasso is pi$$ing people off there now, with his nanny tactics.

        • cojef says:

          Crime statistics also indicate a rise in the City! Homelessness contribute largely to problem for society. After all they are on the fringe and do not have anything and will desecrate property of others for psychological reasons. A worship place that represents wealth and pomp. Further they do not represent and speak for the low class and disenfranchised but are altogether another category. There are many productive low class individuals who come to our shores to better themselves. Many of parents came to our shores as low class people and they have contributed to greatness of our country. The term is repugnant as it indicate ostracizing people who come to this Country as immigrants. Many whom were our parents.

        • Cricket_Amos says:

          Come-on, it was applied equally to the whole city, and it worked.

          I think that a comment that begins with “nobody ……..” indicates a judgmental attitude. Only one exception, which could easily be found, invalidates such a comment.

        • tomcorey says:

          You don’t know what you are talking about. I lived in NY city during this period and times square was a sh**hole. He went after those committing the crimes and was relentless. This led to a large decline in overall crime. But I guess if some of those detained were minority than it is not okay with you. Now DeBlasio is bringing NYC back to the old days of unending higher crime rates. Typical liberal comments…

      • kekelaward says:

        You can see it all the time here and the cops even admit it. If they don’t get a call with a complainant they don’t take proactive actions. Look at the amount of people sleeping or passed out at bus stops while the buses are still running. Cops just drive by and do nothing. If you aren’t going to stop the small stuff, don’t be surprised when more big stuff happens.

        • dsl says:

          Cops are after the money stuff = give tickets to the people that will pay. Nearly every day at 4 – 5 pm the cops are on Bethel street giving out tickets to the “hardened criminals” that j-walk, drive without seat belt, drive talking on the phone, all manini kind stuff. But the people they catch are the business people (the hardened criminals) in the area headed home after a long day’s work. Yeah, maybe an infraction but they make it a jamboree of giant proportions, not just one or two cops, it’s a whole platoon giving out tickets to the people that will just pay the fine rather than fight it. If our police force had as much inclination to enforce laws against drug dealers, pimps, and thieves in the area, wouldn’t it be a much better place? Wouldn’t there be less of the bad element in town? Just saying!!! I may be getting off-track here but it is my feeling of why there is vandalism cops are too concentrated on giving tickets.

  3. HRS134 says:

    Seems like security in the area has gone downhill since they made changes a few years ago.

  4. iwanaknow says:

    Time for security cameras?

    • HRS134 says:

      They got cameras. What they need is someone in charge of security who’s not afraid of dealing with the “riff raff”. They used to have a solid security program, then they changed things. Been getting bad ever since. I’m about done with that school. Considering sending my daughter someplace else.

      • btaim says:

        Ummm …. I don’t know your level of reading comprehension or your ability to retain written material, but the vandalism occurred at the CATHEDRAL, not at the school. Yes, they are neighbors, but the school has a completely separate security company paid for by the school, not the same company used by the Cathedral. Read the article again. It is about the CATHEDRAL of St. Andrew.

        • kekelaward says:

          Still too close for comfort. This is an all grades, all girls school we’re talking about.

  5. tutulois says:

    Whoever did this is disrespecting Queen Emma, who journeyed through the British Isles to raise money to build this cathedral. It also disrespects the Hawaiian royal family, who invited the Anglican missionaries to Hawaii over 150 years ago. For shame! I hope the girls from St Andrews school will be able to use the cathedral for their lovely graduation ceremony. It always begins with a chant honoring Queen Emma.

  6. goodday says:

    this is what happens when we keep releasing non-violent offenders

  7. sailfish1 says:

    Don’t they have security guards? They should since there area lot of homeless people around there.

  8. kekelaward says:

    Sounds like it’s getting to be time for the Big Dude to send Raguel down on a vengeance mission.

  9. CKMSurf says:

    Now that is just pathetic no class behavior.

  10. butinski says:

    Vandals are more likely to be the “offsprings” of the low life riff raff that have now invaded Hawaii from Polynesia or Micronesia. May sound biased but I think most law abiding citizens feel the same way. Just my opinion.

    • Mr Mililani says:

      I have to agree “butinski” but maybe it was some kids who thought it was a Catholic church and wanted to get even with the priests who sexually molested them.

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