The Sag Harbor "Legs" – a controversial piece of artwork – has been defaced by vandals and cited by the village who wants it out of the community. 

The Legs sculpture was created by pop artist Larry Rivers in 1969 and has resided in Sag Harbor on Madison Street since 2005, to the irritation of village officials and some neighbors. The artwork is a 16-foot-tall fiberglass structure of a pair of women's legs. 

The village has issued six citations against the owners of the artwork, and a judge ruled that it is an "accessory structure" that must be subject to building codes. 

Steven Grossman, the attorney representing the artwork's owners, says the Legs art is not going anywhere. 

"[The village] never said it must come down...I think the Legs will be there for a long time," he told News 12. 

Village building inspector Tom Preiato declined to give an interview to News 12 Long Island. He did tell the Southampton Press "it was decided that enough time has passed for  [the owners]  to have taken them down, which was supposed to be in 2012." 

Police would not say if a vandalism report has been submitted or investigated. Legs is believed to have been defaced with red paint sometime overnight.

The mayor did not return News 12's calls for comment. 

Some residents offered support for Legs and its owners.

"I'm an artist and an architect and they're not my personal taste, but I don't think that's what it's about," says Linda Auerbach.