GEORGE FLOYD STATUE VANDALIZED 48 HOURS AFTER UNVEIL
George Floyd, whose killing was at the hands of Minneapolis police last year, had three sculptures created in his remembrance. One of three sculptures is a part of the “SEEINJUSTICE” art exhibition that also features the likenesses of Breonna Taylor and John Lewis.
Only two days later, the sculpture displayed in Brooklyn’s Union Square was vandalized.
“It’s incredibly disappointing how the statues were defaced in such a short amount of time, and it just goes to show you how far we still have to go to reach our goal of unity,” Terrence Floyd said Sunday in a joint statement with the nonprofit We Are Floyd Foundation.
Security footage from the New York Police Department showed a man holding a skateboard, mixing paint behind the statue, and throwing the paint onto the structure as he skated away at around 10:15 in the morning. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes task force is still investigating the incident.
Fortunately, by the time its members arrived, community members had already started the restoration process. Immediately after witnessing the defacing, bystanders jumped into action. At least five people were seen restoring the statue, one of which was a painter who knew the right way to proceed.
Carnabuci, the artist behind the sculpture, said the latest act “didn’t come as a complete surprise” and that “Vandalism of any sort is not an action that is productive or meaningful.” Several other Floyd murals have been vandalized since the 46-year-old Black man was killed in May 2020. Murals in Rochester, Minneapolis, Houston, and Portland –just to name a few- have been unfortunately defaced.
It didn’t take long for the shocking news of the statue being defaced to spread around for reactions to resonate across Twitter, some in outrage.
This act of cowardice and hate is reprehensible.
I have directed @nyspolice Hate Crimes Task Force to provide any assistance in the investigation to find the perpetrator and hold them accountable. https://t.co/qa4v18T63S
— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 4, 2021
The vandalization of the George Floyd statue in NYC is disgraceful
Illegal destruction of public & private property and violence in any form should be condemned
If you disagree with a statue or policy, then express it via the democratic process!
This vandalization is cowardice pic.twitter.com/q7N2gnDQOj
— Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor (@CurtisSliwa) October 3, 2021
New York always finds a way to protect Columbus statues, but somehow the George Floyd statue always ends up getting vandalized. https://t.co/4NIEnbIoRl
— Timothy Hunter #TaxtheRich (@TheTimHunter) October 4, 2021
On the other hand, the vandalizing of the statue reignited the debate on whether Floyd deserved to be honored with a statue in the first place, and how different people are reacting to this act of vandalism while other statues have been silently torn down. Author and security expert Brigitte Gabriel tweeted, “George Floyd does not deserve a statue”, but not all comments were as civil or direct as Gabriel’s. Other questions resurfaced after the incident, like why statutes to past presidents including Washington and Lincoln have also been defaced.
George Floyd does not deserve a statue.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) October 4, 2021
The George Floyd Memorial Statue was vandalized in NYC. Could anyone explain to me why a career criminal has a statue in the first place?!
— Ginger ❤️🔥 (@GingersPage) October 4, 2021
George Floyd memorial statue vandalized in NYC. He shouldn't have a statue in the first place.
— Susan St. James (@SusanStJames3_) October 4, 2021
Incidents like this on top of the condescending reactions go to show that racism, social injustice, and oppression still exist!
