Lisbon 9/11 memorial vandalized, no ceremony planned for 2026
Lisbon 9/11 memorial vandalized, no ceremony planned for 2026
People in Lisbon are looking for answers as we approach 25 years since the attacks of September 11, 2021. The memorial and village hall were vandalized with spray-painted graffiti in May, and it remains unresolved.
LISBON, Wis. - With the nation marking 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks next week, people in the village of Lisbon are still looking for answers. In May, someone spray-painted graffiti all over the village’s 9/11 memorial and village hall.
No formal events planned
What we know:
The location will not be used next week, at least not for any type of formal gathering. There are still some plaques that were spray-painted four months ago that have not returned to the memorial. But that is not the reason the village does not have a ceremony planned next week.
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Lisbon 9/11 memorial
This site was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2011, marking 10 years since 9/11, in front of an estimated crowd of 2,000 people. It contains a two-ton piece of steel from one of the World Trade Center towers. The village held a "20th Anniversary Tribute Event" in 2021. Both the Lisbon village president and village administrator told FOX6 News off camera there simply was not enough interest in holding a ceremony here to mark 25 years.
May vandalism
What we know:
In May, someone spray-painted a swastika on the memorial. On the beam from Ground Zero, the suspect wrote "The Jews need to go." There were also Bible verses spray-painted on the village hall nearby. The culprit still has not been caught. Some residents told FOX6 News it is painful thinking about it so close to Sept. 11.
Vandalism from May
"Of course it’s upsetting. Like you said, it doesn’t make any sense. There’s no correlation between that and 9/11. I’m still trying to understand that. What’s the point?" said Bryan Berenson, Lisbon resident.
Vandalism from May
The village administrator said it cost about $1,000 to rent equipment and clean up. Anyone with information about who was responsible is asked to call the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Lisbon village president, the Lisbon village administrator, Bryan Berenson, and the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department.