Christopher Columbus Statue Vandalized In Central Park, Police Say

CENTRAL PARK, NY — A statue of Christopher Columbus in Central Park was vandalized Tuesday morning, an NYPD spokesman told Patch.

The words "hate will not be tolerated" were spray painted onto the base of the statue and Columbus' hands were painted red, the NYPD spokesman said. The words "#Somethingiscoming" were also painted onto the base of the statue, according to photos of the vandalism.

The statue is located within the park near the 65th Street Transverse and Center Drive.

No arrested have been made in connection with the vandalism, an NYPD spokesman told Patch. The NYPD spokesman did not have details on cleanup efforts for the statue.

Spokespeople for the city Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy — the private organization responsible for park upkeep — both declined to comment on the vandalism and referred Patch's questions to the NYPD.

Mayor Bill de Blasio recently named the members of a city commission that will study monuments, statues and symbols across the city seen as "oppressive and inconsistent with the values of New York City." Officials have called on the commission to study and remove a statue of the Italian explorer in Columbus Circle. The statue of Columbus in Central Park, which was vandalized, had not previously attracted the same attention.

Republican mayoral challenger Nicole Malliotakis tweeted about the vandalism, pinning blame on de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. Malliotakis represents Staten Island in the New York State Assembly.

A statue of Thomas Jefferson on the campus of the University of Virginia was vandalized in a similar fashion in late August, The Daily Progress reported. The Jefferson statue was also defaced with red paint on the hands and the hashtag "something is coming."

Photo courtesy New York City Alerts via Twitter