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OH BUOY! Southernmost Point landmark damaged after arsonists set Christmas tree ablaze

Local police are now looking for two male suspects as they probe the case of arson

KEY WEST, FLORIDA: A web camera captured the moment when arsonists put a Christmas tree on fire after taking photos and selfies at Key West’s Southernmost Point buoy on Saturday, January 1. The camera reportedly takes pictures of the iconic site minute by minute and on the early morning of the new year, it took pictures of the tree placed in front of the structure at 3.16 am local time.

The camera pictures then showed two male suspects in front of the structure, exploring nearby areas as they sat at the water’s edge. They were then seen taking photos and selfies with the tree at 3.19 am. However, minutes later, they set the Christmas tree ablaze and escaped. Moments later, local firefighters arrived at the scene to find the charred and blackened Southernmost Point buoy.

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Morning pictures of the 4-ton landmark’s site showed tourists coming and expressing their shock over the charred buoy. People were also seen surveying the area before taking photos with the monument, which is situated just 90 miles off the coast of Cuba and has attracted a huge number of tourists since its establishment in 1983. Meanwhile, local police are now looking for two male suspects as they probe the case. They have also urged people to come forward if they have any information.

People have also reacted online after the incident at the buoy came out. A person tweeted, “One of these Americhavs was dumb enough to wear a distinctively patterned shirt and will hopefully be ID'd.” The second one wrote, “There is a photo where you can get a decent look at that guy too. I zoomed in and took a screenshot... Looks like a real winner…” “..KRAZY....at the End of the Street Where you Finish the "CRAWL" ???....I Mean....this is just Shameful.... #KeyWestCrawl #JimmyDidIt #FloridasFuckers,” the third one added.

A user shared, “The hunt is on for two men who defaced one of Key West’s most famous and most photographed landmarks on New Year’s Day: the giant and colorful Southernmost Point buoy.” Another one commented, “So sad, I grew up in Cayo Hueso, means so much to many throughout history.” A tweet read, “What do you expect on New Year's Eve when you promote your town as the drinking capital of the world? Nothing but bars and bums.” The angry second tweet stated, “They should burn too!! Unforgivable!!”

This comes almost a month after Fox News' Christmas tree was burned. On December 8, Craig Tamanaha allegedly put the tree on fire. But subsequently, he was arrested and charged with arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, and disorderly conduct along with two more. At the time, Tucker Carlson was slammed for calling the incident “an attack on Christianity”. He had said, “A Christmas tree is a symbol. It’s a symbol of a specific culture. It’s a symbol of a much-loved tradition that’s hundreds of years old. Above all, it’s a symbol of a religion, the world’s largest. Torching Christmas trees is an attack on Christianity.”