A skateboarder splattered paint over a new George Floyd statue in New York City Saturday night, police say.
New York City police from the Manhattan precinct obtained surveillance video showing the vandal throwing paint over the statue, reported NBC New York. The vandal then fled the scene on a skateboard.
A cleanup effort got underway Sunday morning to clear a vandal’s attempt to defame a sculpture of George Floyd in New York City’s Union Square. https://t.co/wMpBacjFJI
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) October 3, 2021
The statue was unveiled Thursday in New York City’s Union Square alongside statues of Breonna Taylor and former Congressman John Lewis, according to NBC New York. The exhibition will be on display for one month in order to “raise awareness of racism and actions for correction.”
The statue is meant to inspire people to think about the experiences of people of color, according to artist Chris Carnabuci, reported NBC New York.
“Art creates an environment for civil discourse. We can talk about our differences and maybe even come to some understanding of each other’s perspectives,” Carnabuci said, reported NBC New York. (RELATED: ‘Bad Hearts And Bad Motivations’: George Floyd Mural Vandalized With Racial Slurs)
This was not the first time a George Floyd statue was vandalized in New York City. A different statue of George Floyd in New York City was covered in black paint by vandals June 24. Police described the act as a hate crime.