Bummer news out California's central coast... I'd like to offer a big middle finger to the persons who vandalized the cherry tree at Watsonville High School last weekend. If that's you, I've got the birdie raised. At you: Vandalized cherry tree was symbol of friendship in Watsonville's Japanese-American community.The double blossom cherry tree, a donated gift from the Watsonville-Santa Cruz chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, was planted on campus in April to replace an 80-year-old cherry three that had died last winter. The flowering tree has a long history as a symbol and gesture of friendship.
But last week, two or three boys yanked it back and forth and snapped the tree's trunk. Hey assholes, you broke the "Friendship Tree" in half.
Mas Hashimoto, a 77-year-old former teacher at the school, helped plant the tree in April to replace a similar cherry tree that had been on campus for more than 80 years. Hashimoto saw the original tree every day outside his classroom near Lincoln Street, but it died last winter. He and the Japanese American Citizens League donated a new, double blossom cherry tree to replace it.Damn. If I could, I'd investigate it as a hate crime on a tree. Just reading this story from last spring about this sapling that replaced the 80-year-old tree that died, it bums me out even more. You suck, vandals.
Sunday, two or three boys yanked it back and forth and snapped its small trunk, said Elaine Legorreta, principal of Watsonville High School.
Surveillance footage caught images of the vandals, but no one has been identified or arrested. It was not clear if students were responsible.
More here: Vandals destroy cherry tree.