Home » World » NYPD shows footage of vandals who scrawled ‘murderer’ on Christopher Columbus statue

NYPD shows footage of vandals who scrawled ‘murderer’ on Christopher Columbus statue

Police released images and video on Monday of the two vandals who allegedly scrawled the word “murderer” in red spray paint on the statue of Christopher Columbus in Central Park last month.

Surveillance footage shows the destructive duo scaling barricades protecting the statue of the Italian explorer – with spray cans in tow – on February 26.

A woman in a bright orange coat painted over the text “Columbus” with the charge of “murderer,” according to the video.

Vandals scrawled “murderer” on the statue of Christopher Columbus in Central Park on Sunday night, police said.
Jennifer Mitchell pour Fox News Digital

Statues of Columbus across the country have been targets of vandalism due, among other things, to the explorer’s reputation for brutality towards Native Americans.
Jennifer Mitchell pour Fox News Digital

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His partner in crime, dressed in all black, climbs onto the statue and almost slides while covering it in red paint, as seen in the footage.

The graffiti artists also spray painted “Give us back our land” on the bronze and granite sculpture.

Statues of historical figures have come under attack across the country in recent years as critics have pointed out or uncovered truths about many leaders.

Some believe that Christopher Columbus was actually a murderer of the native people when he arrived in America in 1492. Others, however, consider him a famous figure of Italian pride.

If caught, the spray paint suspects will likely be charged with vandalism and graffiti, cops said.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the vandalism to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

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