NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Mayor Eric Adams pledged a personal cash prize, adding to the $10,000 offered by the NYPD, for information leading to the arrest of suspects who vandalized monuments with spray paint during a pro-Palestinian protest earlier this week.
According to a police report, on Monday around 8:30 p.m., three unidentified individuals vandalized the General William Tecumseh Sherman monument inside Central Park and then fled from the scene.
Another act of vandalism was reported at the 107th United States Infantry Memorial—which memorializes soldiers from World War I—in the park at East 67th Street.
Police released photos of suspects wanted in connection to the vandalism of Central Park monuments on Monday night.NYPD
"Civil disobedience and peaceful protest are welcome in our city, but vandalism and hate are not — especially if it disrespects those in uniform who gave their lives for our freedom to protest," Adams said during a press conference on Tuesday in front of the vandalized monument which was mostly cleaned up.
Adams added that the memorial represented freedom "so many fought and died for — the same freedoms many are abusing with cowardly acts of vandalism. We cannot allow these symbols to be desecrated by some in our city wanting to cause chaos and disorder."
No injuries were reported, police said.
Following the incident, Adams announced his own pledge. "I am proud to give $5,000 of my own money — in addition to $10,000 from the NYPD— for the arrest and convictions of the individuals involved and send a strong message that we won't stand for this vandalism," he said.
NYPD
Adams mentioned that the Parks Department had removed most of the graffiti, but some remnants remain due to the texture of the statue. He also noted that the NYPD had garnered some leads from social media but did not go into detail about it.
The NYPD released photos of the unidentified suspects on Tuesday. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
