'Hollywood' sign becomes 'Hollyweed' in new year prank
January 1, 2017
Residents in Los Angeles woke on New Year's Day to see that the iconic "Hollywood" sign had been altered to "Hollyweed."
In the early hours of Sunday morning, the prankster used tarpaulins to partially cover the two 13.7-meter-high (45-foot) Os and make them appear as Es. The material was later removed by authorities.
According to the "Los Angeles Times," the culprit, dressed in black, was caught on city surveillance cameras, scaling the letters on Mount Lee.
Police are reportedly treating the incident as a minor trespass.
Cannabis to be legalized
The prank follows California's vote in November in favor of legalizing cannabis - in a ballot held on the same day as the US presidential election.
Art college student, Danny Finegood, pulled a similar prank on January 1, 1976, to mark a relaxation of penalties in California's marijuana laws.
The iconic sign was erected in 1923 and originally said "Hollywoodland." Overlooking Griffith Park, the white letters were installed to advertize a new housing development in the hills above Los Angeles.
ksb/se (AFP, AP, Reuters)