Lawrence storeowners and residents were greeted with red handprints throughout downtown Wednesday morning as a protest against U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dozens of downtown parking meters were adorned with red-paint handprints overnight Tuesday, a protest against American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“These handprints are the symbolic evidence of our complicity as Americans in the killing, torture and destruction being carried out by our government in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said a sticker that explained the vandalism. “Wherever we go, whatever we touch, the blood on our collective hands is left. Our passive disregard in the face of these atrocities serves as a sign to our leaders to continue. Our silence is deadly.”

About six police officers were downtown Wednesday morning investigating and making reports of the damage.

The handprints appeared throughout downtown on dozens of parking meters, light poles, walls, storefronts, parking-ticket collection boxes, and pieces of pavement.