Speaking to the local media, Mayor Zivko Matusko condemned the incident which occurred during the night. Unknown perpetrators used white paint to draw a heart over the Croatian red and white checkerboard coat of arms.
Matusko refuted allegations that the municipal authorities were responsible, saying the coat of arms would be restored to its place.
The historical coat of arms has been on the small peninsula for many years. Some Croatian media described the incident as a provocation, while Bosniak media claim activists wanted to say with this act that everyone was welcome in Neum, regardless of nationality.