The NYPD is offering rewards for anyone who can help them find the pro-Palestinian protesters who vandalized Central Park monuments earlier this week.
Police said that three vandals brazenly defaced the monument, located on the north side of Grand Army Plaza in the park, on May 6 at approximately 8:30 p.m.
According to law enforcement sources, the trio of perps used black and red spray paint to scrawl messages such as “Gaza” and “Free Palestine” on the sides of the 24-foot-high statue, according to law enforcement officials.
In video footage released by the NYPD, the suspects who defaced the Sherman statue appear to be wearing COVID-style face masks and keffiyeh-inspired head coverings.
The monument has been in place since 1903 and depicts Union General Sherman with his horse, Ontario, being led by the figure of Victory. According to the Central Park Conservancy, the model for Victory was an African-American woman named Hettie Anderson who worked as a model during that era.
So far, no arrests have been made, but the NYPD is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects responsible for the crime.
Defacing a monument is ‘beyond the pale’: Caban
The Sherman monument was defaced on the same night, and in a similar fashion, when vandals scrawled pro-Palestine graffiti onto the park’s World War l 107th Infantry Memorial.
Both monuments were targeted the same night pro-Palestinian protestors flooded Uptown Manhattan, wreaking havoc in the streets, clashing with police, and ending in dozens of arrests.
Pro-Israel protestors were also at the day of mayhem, which has been dubbed a “Day of Rage for Gaza,” yelling and shoving others as the riotous activity ensued.
NYC Parks and the Central Park Conservancy workers cleaned up the statues on Tuesday.
Mayor Eric Adams announced he is offering $5,000 of his own money as a reward for any information leading to an arrest and conviction of the perps who attacked the World War l statue.
“I love this city and this country,” the mayor said during a Tuesday press conference near the cleaned World War I memorial. “It is painful to see a memorial to bravery being vandalized by cowards in the name of protest, one of the very freedoms those enshrined in this memorial died to protect. I will not stand by while people desecrate memorials to those who fought for democracy and human rights, or disrespect the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who have served their country.”
The NYPD is adding up to $10,000 to the reward pot.
“Defacing a monument honoring the service of Americans is beyond the pale,” Police Commissioner Edward Caban said. “The vulgarity demonstrated by those responsible for these acts reflects more on them than it does [on] the people they are attempting to denigrate.”
Anyone with information regarding either of these incidents can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
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