Hong Kong police are searching for a man suspected of causing criminal damage to the sign outside the United States consulate in Central.
Police received a report at around 2.40pm on Sunday from consulate staff that the sign on the exterior wall of the premises on Garden Road showed signs of tampering.
Officers at the scene discovered the first “S” in the “States” had been partially dislodged from the wall. The rest of the sign was undamaged.
Authorities are searching for a man in connection with the incident. The suspect was last seen wearing a black top and white trousers, carrying a grey backpack.
The case has been classified as criminal damage and is being handled by the Central district investigation team. As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made.
The incident took place during a period of heightened sensitivity over conflict in the Middle East, with US diplomatic facilities abroad increasingly becoming targets for protests and vandalism.