The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture became target of vandals who use an oily substance they pour on exhibition objects. Traces of an odorless and colorless oily substance were found in object bases and frames as well as on two art works in several areas of the Museum.
The vandalism was conducted by two perpetrators whose images were captured by the museum’s security cameras.
The perpetrators were women, write media.
The Benaki Museum said in a statement that the oily substance has been removed and that no permanent damage on the objects occurred.
The incident took place on Sunday, August 29, 2018.
The Museum informed the police and the Ministry of Culture and is in close cooperation with them for the identification of the perpetrators and the prevention of similar incidents.
It is the third vandalism incident of this kind in last months.
On 28. July, it were exhibition objects in the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens that became target of vandalism. CCTV cameras had captured two women spraying the substance.
However, the vandalism was discovered after the women had left the Museum.
Katerina Delaporta, the director of the Museum told state broadcaster ERT TV, that the women had sprayed several objects as well as the floor of the exhibition room.
“Our experts found that the oily substance was baby oil with paraffin,” she added.
The first incident of this kind took place in May 2017. A woman had sprayed tombstones at the Museum of Royal Tombs of Aigai in Vergina, Macedonia. The spray contained a color- and odorless, oily substance.
With this, she ‘painted’ the bases of more than 10 tombstones, protective shields made of plexiglass and a number of photographs and information signs.
CCTV cameras captured a woman of African origin.
“African origin” ?