Two George Floyd statues vandalized after unveiling in New York and New Jersey
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Vandals defaced two George Floyd statues Thursday after both were unveiled in separate ceremonies in New York and New Jersey.
In Brooklyn, a bust of Floyd, which sits within a plaza, was marred by black spray paint in the early morning, according to the New York City Police Department. The phrase "PATRIOTFRONT.US" was tagged on the pedestal of the statue five days after it was unveiled to commemorate Juneteenth.
Authorities posted a photograph of four masked suspects, all of whom have yet to be identified.
In Newark, police officers and Mayor Ras Baraka announced an investigation after the city's 700-pound statue of Floyd, which featured the 46-year-old black man sitting on a bench, was defaced with white and black spray paint at around 6 a.m. The statue was debuted June 16.
Authorities did not specify what the graffiti said or meant, though the incident is being looked into as a "hate crime."
“The Newark Police Division will not tolerate any bias or hate crime, let alone one perpetrated by a white nationalist group that espouses the overthrow of the constitution and government of the United States,” said Director Brian O’Hara in a statement. “The Newark Police Division is vigorously investigating this incident to identify those responsible for this despicable act.”
Baraka said the incident was an affront against the city's effort to battle "white supremacy."
“The defacing of the statue of George Floyd has been a trend around the country,” the mayor said. “This horrible act is the very reason that this statue needs to remain and be upheld. As this is not just about George Floyd, it's a deliberate effort to push back against and ultimately dismantle systems of hatred, racism, and white supremacy. We celebrate those efforts in Newark, and will continue to do so, despite the ignorance that has reared its ugly head.”
The incident in Brooklyn drew the attention of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who told the "neo-Nazi" perpetrators to "get the hell out" of his state.
"New York's new monument to George Floyd, which was unveiled in Brooklyn just this past weekend, on Juneteenth, is more than just a memorial for a father, a son, and a friend — it's a testament to the grief, anger, and righteous energy that his murder sparked, in our state and across the country," the Democratic governor said in a statement. "It's a beacon for all who believe progress is possible and in our ability to make it happen."
The pair of statues recognizing Floyd, who died May 25, 2020, after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes, has drawn its share of backlash.
Sports journalist Jason Whitlock said that "the deification of George Floyd harms black people and America."
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“Floyd is not Jesus. He’s not Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, or Medgar Evers, black men who died tragically in service of promoting racial fairness,” Whitlock said. “Floyd isn’t Crispus Attucks, the first man killed in America’s Revolutionary War. Floyd isn’t Emmett Till, an innocent victim of anti-black bigotry.”
“I’m shocked the sculptor didn’t put a crack pipe in one hand and a 40-ounce of beer in the other,” Whitlock added. “The statues of Floyd need to be torn down immediately. They’re racist. They’re designed to symbolize that America turns black men into lazy, criminal drug addicts.”
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Tags: News, New Jersey, New York, New York City, George Floyd, Derek Chauvin, Race and Diversity, Andrew Cuomo, Crime, Law Enforcement
Original Author: Jake Dima
Original Location: Two George Floyd statues vandalized after unveiling in New York and New Jersey
