A group of kids caught carving political slogans into a rock wall beneath the waterfall at Minneopa State Park near Mankato got a stern lesson from rangers on the park's ecosystem.
The vandalism, which occurred July 27, favorably featured the name of President Donald Trump, said Park Manager Craig Beckman. Regardless of its content, defacing or carving into any state property, including rock and other geological formations, is prohibited by state law.
Beckman said it's not the first time someone has defaced the rock below the falls, but this time, the vandals were seen and caught by other park visitors, who summoned rangers.
Beckman said rangers talked to the kids about the fragile ecosystem that they were damaging.
"It was an educational message," Beckman said. "Below the falls at the park is sandstone and limestone, and it's highly erodible rock."
The carvings were cleared away the next morning.
"We want everybody to enjoy the formations when they come to this park or any state park. We don't want other people's experiences or views to be ruined by somebody else," Beckman said.
