AN alleged spray-painting attack on the Boer War memorial in Kings Parade has disappointed Bathurst RSL Sub-branch president David Mills.
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But he says the city does respect its war memorials and what they represent - as shown by how infrequently such incidents occur.
Police say they received a report at about 3pm on Thursday that a man was spray-painting the Boer War memorial and, when they responded and patrolled the area, they spoke to a 39-year-old man in Simpsons Lane.
Police say that when they identified themselves, the man is alleged to have armed himself with a golf club.
The man was restrained and arrested and, during a search of his property, officers say they found spray paint, cannabis, and various pieces of drug paraphernalia.
Ronald Samuel Bettles appeared in Bathurst Local Court on Friday facing charges of wilfully damaging or defacing a protected place, supplying a prohibited drug greater than small and less than an indictable quantity, possessing a prohibited drug, destroying or damaging property and using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention.
Bail was refused and the matter is listed for mention in the court on Monday, with Bettles to appear via audio-visual link.
"It's an issue of respect and what the service and sacrifice of people that went to the Boer War was about," Mr Mills said in relation to the alleged spray-painting incident.
"We do have families that are direct descendants of the people who served there and the memorial is very special to them."
He said the city's respect for its memorials was shown on Anzac Day "with the number of people who stayed to file through the Carillon and drop rosemary at the base of the Eternal Flame".
"It's the same with the Broken Blade at BMEC: it has significance to people who had family on the Thai-Burma Railway and other death marches," he said.
"They [the memorials] do all hold places in the hearts of people and they are generally held with respect - to such a degree that council, when doing something around the Carillon, will ask us [the sub-branch] if we are happy with the event that is being held on the steps or on the Carillon itself."
The spray paint on the memorial has been cleaned off.