A 9/11 memorial in South Carolina was vandalized with the word 'Taliban' in spray paint

• A South Carolina monument honoring 9/11 victims was spray-painted with the word "Taliban."
• The vandalism happened on the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
• The spray paint has since been removed from the memorial, which depicts the Twin Towers.

A newly-constructed South Carolina monument honoring victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks was vandalized and defaced with the word "Taliban" in spray paint on the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks, the company that erected the granite memorial said.

Paul Nichols, the CEO and founder of Upstate Granite Solutions, which put up the structure, told Insider Monday that "apparently during the night on Saturday night someone came through and spray painted the base of the monument and one of the towers."

The base of the Greenville County memorial depicting the Twin Towers read "Taliban," according to photos.

Nichols said the local sheriff's office was called and a police report was filed. The spray paint was later scrubbed off of the memorial, according to Nichols.

"We spent the time and money on this monument in order to bring our community together and unite over the memory of those who died on the attacks 20 years ago, as well as those first responders who willingly laid down their lives to serve others," Nichols said.

Nichols said his company began working on the memorial, which is surrounded by 1,000 American flags, about a month ago and finished it this week.

"We installed the main towers on Wednesday and finalized the lights and flags Thursday and Friday," he said. "Word got out and Saturday we had hundreds of cars come through throughout the day and many more after dark to view the monument and take pictures with their families."

He added, "It was quite remarkable to see the outpouring of support from our community."