6 Rioters Arrested For Defacing Central Park Monument In NYC’s Latest “Peaceful” Protest

As far-left activists work to provoke as much public outrage as possible over the killing in Columbus, Ohio, of teenager Ma’Khia Bryant, the latest police-involved killing to make national news, a relatively small but determined crowd of rioters attacked NYC’s Columbus Circle Thursday night, defacing monuments while chanting “f**k the police.”

Ultimately, six people were arrested, including one protester who tried to flee in a cab, only for it to be surrounded by police. The arrests all took place near the USS Maine National Monument in Columbus Circle, which was defaced with graffiti reading “ACAB” – ie “all cops are bastards” – and “f**k 12” which essentially means “f**k the police.”

In one magical one point, they group of about 100 protesters stopped outside the New York Times building in Times Square to shout “F**k the New York Times!”

“Stonewall was a riot,” was also sprayed in pink font, according to the New York Post report on the riot. Video shared to social media showed a handful of protesters climbing the vandalized monument, which sits at the entrace to Central Park, waving flags and shouting slogans.

#BreakingNews
Paint was splattered all over a Statue at Columbus Square
.
Filmed and owned by leeroy Johnson #EarthDay #EarthDay2021 #NewYork pic.twitter.com/5pUY022NR0

— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) April 23, 2021

Footage tonight of the police presence at Columbus Circle, where 6 participants of the weekly Stonewall Protests were arrested and 2 people were sent to the hospital by the NYPD for allegedly splashing paint.

Footage is muted to protect the identity of the person who filmed it. pic.twitter.com/HW1jjIwAu5

— talia jane (@taliaotg) April 23, 2021

According to the NY Post, the crowd grew out of a weekly gathering of queer activists in Greenwich Village. The group, known as “the Stonewall Protests” bills itself as a “black queer and trans activists centered on the acknowledgment of all black life.” according to an Instagram post. The protest was billed as “the March on Broadway” according to social media posts.

The NYPD condemned the incident in a series of social media posts condemning the vandalism and exclaiming that defacing statues is not an act of “protest”.

We respect’s everyone right to peacefully protest, but vandalism is not part of peaceful protest. We are working to de-escalate the situation to prevent further damage from occurring. pic.twitter.com/UQ9FVl6f69

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 23, 2021

Videos also showed protests pushing and shoving police as a swarm of officers attempted to make arrests. Some of the demonstrators shouted at them, “Disgrace!” and “What is wrong with you?”