ALBANY (WCBS 880) – An Albany man was charged with a hate crime after he allegedly scrawled "KKK" and drew burning crosses on a Black Lives Matter street mural in the city on Thursday.
Albany Police Department
The mural near Albany's downtown was vandalized around 3:40 p.m., according to police.
Officers responding to a report of the vandalism near Lark Street and Hudson Avenue learned that a man had used white spray paint to write the letters "KKK" on the mural, police said.
Albany Police Department
The man also drew burning crosses on the mural, according to police, who released photos of the defaced mural late Thursday.
The officers apprehended a suspect, identified as 43-year-old Ian Rawlinson, near Lark Street and Madison Avenue, police said.
Rawlinson was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Albany Criminal Court on Friday morning.
Albany Police Department
