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For the second time since it was painted in October, a mural that was created on Van Ranst Place near Columbus Park in Mamaroneck was vandalized, this time by throwing a can of paint on it before speeding away in a car.
The incident happened at around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, July 12.
Police said that investigators found a can of paint on the ground by the mural, and there were tire marks across the length of the mural after the car sped through the paint.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, though one suspect has been arrested and is facing a criminal mischief charge.
Last September, the Mamaroneck Village Board opted against the proposed mural in a 3 - 2 vote, though it was later approved that same month. It was previously vandalized days after its creation in October 2020.
Mamaroneck Mayor Tom Murphy said that the police investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the incident should be treated as a hate crime.
“The police are investigating if they find conclusively that this was purposefully vandalized (as it would appear but we should let the investigation play out) I would hope this is classified as a hate crime and the full weight of the law is exercised against the culprits,” he posted in a message to the community.
“This ignorant and unkind act will definitely not be what defines us as a community.”
Murphy said that the mural will be repaired and repainted “in the same spirit of cooperation and understanding that was evident when we came together as a community to create it.”
“I believe that this happened because we are a community that has worked to begin the process of open dialogue to heal the pain and hurt that racism has caused in our society,” he stated. “This is an act of fear from those who sense that society is changing for the better. That society is becoming fairer and more tolerant despite their efforts to roll back progress.
“Let us continue to bind up the wounds that hundreds of years of racism, both explicit and implicit, have created,” Murphy added. “Let’s not leave the task of healing to the next generation. Let us boldly and bravely do the difficult work that has too long been avoided and ignored.”
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