Vandals Strike at African-American Cemetery in Rye

RYE, NY - The African American cemetery at Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye was apparently vandalized over the Memorial Day weekend.

While setting up for the annual Memorial Day ceremony, David Thomas saw the American Legion Post No. 93’s Hank Birdsall.

Thomas said he thought Birdsall was putting more flags out, but Birdsall said he and another Post member had put them out the week before.

When he returned Friday, May 27 to check if everything was OK, Birdsall said some of the flags were missing.

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He said it looked as if someone had ripped about 35 of the flags from their sticks and left the sticks by the headstones.

It did not appear that flags in the main part of the Greenwood Union Cemetery were vandalized.

Thomas filed a police report, but it is thought that without video surveillance footage of the area, it isn’t likely that whoever vandalized the cemetery will be caught.

“Not only is this a sign of disrespect to those interred at the site, but it is a disturbing reminder of the current wave of intolerance displayed by those who strive to separate us and strip us of our identities as citizens of the United States,” Thomas said.

Photo caption: No. 1—Mike Paige headstone with replacement flag and vandalized flag. No. 2—David Thomas holding one of the sticks that had the flag ripped off. Photo credit: Courtesy.