A statue of the African-American George Floyd unveiled Saturday in New York was damaged Thursday with black paint, a degradation attributed to a small right-wing group, also suspected of having attacked another monument, in Newark (New Jersey).
The nearly two-meter-tall statue, which depicts the head of George Floyd, was found covered in paint on Thursday morning, with the inscription “Patriot Front“(Patriotic Front), named after an American neo-Nazi cell, said the New York police, which is investigating a possible racist offense.
Killed by a police officer in May 2020 during his arrest in Minneapolis, George Floyd has become a symbol of the fight against police brutality and racial equality in the United States.
White cop Derek Chauvin is due to be sentenced on Friday, two months after being convicted of the murder of George Floyd after a resounding trial.
Authorities released a video Thursday showing four individuals, including one holding a spray paint spray, walking on the sidewalk outside the monument, which is in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood.
I’ll be absolutely clear with the group of neo-Nazis who did this: get out of our state
Made of wood by the artist Chris Carnabuci, the statue was inaugurated on Saturday in the presence of Terrence Floyd, brother of George, who lives in New York. It must be transported, within a few months, to Union Square, an iconic gathering place in Manhattan.
“I’ll be absolutely clear with the group of neo-Nazis who did this: get out of our stateNew York State Governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted, indicating that he was providing specialized state police officers for the investigation.
“We will bring these cowards to justiceNew York Mayor Bill de Blasio commented on Twitter.
On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, another statue of George Floyd, located in front of the town hall of Newark (New Jersey), had also been covered in paint.
According to the NJ.com news site, the listing “Patriot Front“was discovered there too, before the bronze statue, which weighs over 300 kg, was immediately cleaned. An investigation was launched by Newark police.
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