Hong Kong police are searching for a man suspected of causing criminal damage to the sign outside the United States consulate in Central.

Police received a report at around 2.40pm on Sunday from consulate staff that the sign on the exterior wall of the premises at Garden Road showed signs of tampering.

Officers at the scene discovered the first “S” in the “States” section of the sign had been partially dislodged from the wall. The rest of the sign was undamaged.

Authorities are currently searching for a suspect in connection with the incident. The man being sought was last seen wearing a black top, white trousers and a grey backpack.

The case has been classified as criminal damage and is being handled by the Central district investigation team. As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made.

The incident took place during a period of heightened sensitivity over conflict in the Middle East, with US diplomatic facilities abroad increasingly becoming flashpoints for protests and vandalism.