SAN ANTONIO — Lawmakers are issuing a new call to action to protect San Antonio's missions as a growing number of vandals target some of the city's most treasured landmarks.
Three San Antonio-area congressmen say they worry that the 300-year-old missions – which saw 1 million visitors in 2022 – "won't survive another 300 without proper protection and security."
"We leave these missions open so all the public can enjoy them and see our rich heritage," said Rebecca Simmons, executive director of Las Misiones, a nonprofit which cares for the churches. "We leave it open for that, but it also leaves us open to mischief."
Simmons says they've seen an uptick in vandalism at the historic sites they oversee over the last two years.
At Mission San Juan, the name Pancho Villa was recently carved above a door. At Mission San Jose, the iconic Rose Window was shattered and red paint was splattered. A processional cross was stolen from Mission Espada, and elsewhere hanging vessels containing holy oil were broken. At Mission San Juan, a forged handle was ripped from the sacristy door.
The damage has prompted Texas Democrats Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar and Greg Casar to pen a letter to the director of the National Parks Service, expressing their concerns about the recent crimes while urging the creation of a new plan to protect the missions.
While Las Misiones looks after the churches themselves while the National Parks Service is responsible for what happens outside church walls. The sites are surveilled by security cameras inside and outside the churches, and there are also alarms on doors and artwork to deter theft. Additional cameras have been installed in nearby trees.
"We're gonna take care of them," said Cristobal Lopez, with the National Parks Conservation Association.
Lopez says more protection requires more federal dollars.
"More funding could mean many different things: more park staff as a whole, more law enforcement that can go around and patrol these sites and make sure none of that crime and vandalism is happening," he said. "Ultimately it is up to the parks service to determine how that funding is used."
Right now, our historic missions have security cameras inside and outside the church. The National Parks Service also installed surveillance in the trees on each property. Alarms are also installed on certain items in the sanctuaries to help deter theft.
A Public Information Officer with the National Parks Service says the agency is working on a response to the congressmen's letter.
When asked about additional funding for more resources to protect the Missions, a National Parks Spokesperson replied, "The National Park Service has already made significant operational adjustments and leveraged available resources in direct response to the increase in crime and vandalism to enhance visitor and resource protection. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park has tripled the size of the law enforcement team, relocated the field operations base, and has increased strategic collaboration with local and federal law enforcement entities to leverage all available resources to protect San Antonio Missions."
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