Man allegedly seen pulling flags from Somerville cemetery, urinating on them

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — A local man took to social media after seeing two people vandalize a cemetery.

On Monday afternoon, George Gatteny was passing the Somerville Veterans Memorial Cemetery when he saw a man pulling up American flags, throwing them behind the memorial, and then urinating on them.

"I was just appalled I couldn't believe that someone would do something like that," said Gatteny.

Gatteny tried to confront the man who was with a woman.

"As the gentleman saw me approaching, he just buttoned his pants up, fixed himself up, and turned toward me as he was leaving. Didn't say anything to me wasn't concerned, didn't run, had a smirk on his face," he said.

Gatteny didn't stop there. He found the two a couple blocks away on Broadway, snapped pictures of them, called police and posted the story on social media, which has been shared thousands of times.

"They weren't concerned about the consequences. They are going to be concerned about it now because a lot of people are upset by that," said Gatteny.

David Lyons uncle Leo was killed during World War II and his name is listed on the memorial where the flags were desecrated.

Boston 25 News has reached out to the mayor's office and police, but has not heard back.

Cox Media Group