Sunrise Rock Cross-- Focus of SCOTUS Decision-- Stolen By Vandals

The Cross on Sunrise Rock in Mojave National Preserve-- the focus of a recent Supreme Court decision-- has been torn down by vandals. CNN reports that the 6-foot high metal cross that served as a memorial to those killed in World War I was removed Sunday night from its difficult-to-reach site in the California desert. Last month the U.S. Supreme Court issued a fragmented ruling in the Establishment Clause challenge to the cross, which had been transferred to the VFW in order to avoid constitutional issues. The Supreme Court's decision in Salazar v. Buono permitted the cross to remain, at least for now. The National Park Service is investigating the incident, but no arrests had been made as of Tuesday morning. [Thanks to James Maule via Religionlaw for the lead.]