Calif. beach city says 'surfing Madonna' must go

[May 20, 2011]  ENCINITAS, Calif. (AP) -- The "surfing Madonna" of San Diego County may have made her last ride on public property.

The Encinitas City Council on Wednesday voted to remove the stained-glass mosaic that portrays Our Lady of Guadalupe surfing a wave next to the slogan, "Save the Ocean." Guerrilla artists installed the 10-by-10-foot mosaic under a train bridge before Easter.

The San Diego Union-Tribune says the council also approved a $2,000 study to determine how the piece can be removed without damage.

Encinitas is a well-known surfing spot.

Because it didn't have a public review process, the mosaic is legally considered graffiti. Council members say they personally like the piece but allowing it to remain on public property sets a bad precedent.

Some local businesses have offered to give the Madonna a home.

[Associated Press]

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