A giant straw Christmas goat was destroyed in the city of Gavle, Sweden, only five hours after it was unveiled for the public as part of an unofficial tradition there.
It was the 50th year officials set up the nearly 45-foot goat in Slottstorget square, but according to UPI, it has been destroyed at least 35 of those 50 years, mostly by arson, before the season is over.
After the goat was unveiled Sunday in a ceremony broadcast around Sweden, it was set on fire shortly before 11 p.m. the same day. It was a short tenure even by the usual straw Christmas goat standards, UPI reported.
“There will be a great, great sadness for Gavle residents, the Gavle goat and for all of its fans over the world,” spokesperson Maria Wallberg said, UPI reported.
Wallberg said extra security cameras intended to discourage vandalism failed to capture the identity of the goat burners, since they stood outside the camera’s range and threw a Molotov cocktail at the goat.
The Gavle tradition is not to rebuild the goat even if it is destroyed, and officials have said they will follow that tradition on this 50th year.
Police had no immediate suspects in the arson.
“Oh no, such a short amount of time with you my friends. But I shall rise from the ashes and see you next year again!” said a tweet from the official Gavlebocken Twitter account.
The Christmas goat’s frame still stands, but there is no straw on it.
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