A teenage Anti-Israeli protester who vandalized a World War I memorial in Central Park earlier this week has been arrested after his father turned him over to the authorities, as per the NYPD and police sources. The teen's identity has not been revealed since he is a minor.
The 16-year-old boy has been charged with criminal mischief in the third degree, a felony, and making graffiti, a misdemeanor, for reportedly defacing the 107th Infantry Memorial during a disorderly protest on Monday night. The teen, known for participating in rallies organized by the anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, was arrested only after his father handed him over to police on Thursday.
Ideal Father, Hoodlum Son
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry shared a blurred photo on X of the young vandal in handcuffs, seated on a bench at a police station. "The despicable vandalism we saw earlier this week on the WWI Memorial will not be ignored, and will not go unpunished," Daughtry tweeted as he announced one of the culprits' arrest.
"This isn't simply juvenile hijinks — it's an act of desecration that undermines the freedoms our heroes fought and died for," he added.
According to sources, the teenager attends Tottenville High School and has no previous arrests.
The war memorial was vandalized by multiple protesters who inscribed "Gaza" and "Free Palestine" on its base and covered the statue with anti-Israel stickers.
Also, another protester set fire to an American flag in front of the bronze memorial portraying seven WWI foot soldiers in combat.
Several others were seen climbing on top of the infantrymen and brandishing Palestinian flags. The desecration of the memorial provoked outrage among New Yorkers who visited the site on Tuesday to witness the damage firsthand.
Shameful Act
"These people are just nuts and violent," said Michael Skol, a resident of the upscale Manhattan neighborhood for 25 years, to The New York Post.
"Burning the flag is anti-American. It's stupid," he added. "It definitively doesn't help Palestinians or the peace process. These are people who are not in the tradition of believing America is a good place. It's disgusting."
The infuriated locals contended that the large gatherings of pro-Palestinian demonstrators were only undermining their own cause with their senseless acts of destruction.
"It's horrible to treat a World War I memorial the way they did. It breaks your heart," Ron Zucher, 50, said.
"In this country, you have a right to voice your opinion, but not destroy memorials that pay tribute to heroes who died for our country.
"You gotta have some decency," he added. "The protesters are not helping their own cause destroying monuments and burning the flag."
On Tuesday, a clean-up crew worked diligently to remove the graffiti reading "Gaza" and "Free Palestine" left on the memorial. They used power washers and a biodegradable chemical cleaning agent to scrub away the defacement.
