Graffiti painted on Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid statue

Copenhagen's famous Little Mermaid statue has been found covered with pro-Hong Kong graffiti.

Three lines in red, reading Free Hong-Kong, were painted on the rock in Denmark on which the bronze sits, next to the same text in white.

Police with torches and a dog were seen searching for clues in the area after the pre-dawn vandalism was reported.

The Little Mermaid statue was created in tribute to Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen.

Sitting on a rock at the entrance to Copenhagen harbour since 1913, it has been a popular target for vandals over the years, who have blown the statue off its perch.

In 2010, the statue was the centerpiece of Denmark's official pavilion at the World Exhibition in Shanghai for a six-month period.