Woman arrested after Safe Return memorial vandalized at Zuanich Point Park

According to Bellingham Police Department Lt. Claudia Murphy, officers were first called to the park Sunday morning after reports that the statue had been defaced.

Photos from the scene showed the memorial covered with stickers and splashed with yellow and red paint. Police estimate the damage at approximately $1,500.

Investigators identified 34-year-old Cara Muñoz as the suspect after witnesses reported seeing her painting the statue, Murphy said.

Before her arrest, Muñoz posted on social media claiming the memorial, which depicts a fisherman casting a mooring line, represented a noose, which she described as a hate symbol.

Police say Muñoz returned to the park Monday while Port of Bellingham employees were cleaning the memorial. Murphy said she was "rude and disrespectful" toward workers before leaving the area.

Officers later located Muñoz skateboarding near the Port of Bellingham. According to Murphy, she ignored officers after they activated their emergency lights and repeatedly instructed her to stop over the patrol vehicle's public address system.

Police said Muñoz then entered a vehicle and drove away before eventually pulling over during a traffic stop. Murphy said she initially refused to get out of the vehicle, leading officers to block it in with patrol cars.

According to police, Muñoz resisted arrest after unlocking the vehicle, kicking one officer in the midsection and another in the leg. Officers ultimately carried her to a patrol vehicle, where she was placed into a restraint system "for her own safety," Murphy said.

Muñoz has been charged with two counts of third-degree assault, resisting arrest, and second-degree malicious mischief. She was released from the Whatcom County Jail on personal recognizance Tuesday.

After her release, Muñoz posted on Instagram alleging officers used excessive force during the arrest, writing that she suffered bruises, cuts and sprains.

Cleanup efforts at the memorial continued Tuesday as Port of Bellingham crews worked to restore the statue.

"We are deeply saddened by the damage done to this important memorial but have been encouraged by the many community members who have stopped to thank our staff and express how much the statue means to them," Port of Bellingham officials wrote on Facebook. "We look forward to ensuring this important memorial continues to serve as a place of remembrance for years to come."