BRUCE LEE - BRUCE LEE STATUE VANDALISED

LATEST: A life-size bronze statue of BRUCE LEE erected in the Bosnian city Mostar was vandalised only hours after being unveiled on Saturday (26NOV05).

The life-size figure - which captures Lee in a defensive stance armed with nunchuks - was erected as both a symbolic protest against ethnic division and to mark what would have been the martial arts hero's 65th birthday on Sunday (27NOV05).

However, by the following morning, the nunchuk's chain and one of its handles were missing and the statue was surrounded by empty wine and beer bottles.

A Mostar police official says, "We have received reports that the statue has been damaged. We are currently investigating the incident."

VELJO DOJCINOVIC, the park's keeper, blames the damage on a group of teenagers: "I heard a loud bang but I was alone and I couldn't stop them. Police should have been more agile. They know that hooligans visit this park regularly."