NYC Vandal Draws Swastikas On City Hall, Charging Bull Statue

NEW YORK CITY — New York City police are on the lookout for a vandal recently caught on camera drawing swastikas on several Lower Manhattan landmarks. The vandalism occurred over the course of several days, police said.

According to NYPD, on Tuesday, Dec. 14. shortly after 10 p.m., police said the suspect spray-painted a swastika on the Charging Bull statue before fleeing northbound on Morris Street.

Just one day earlier around 6:30 p.m., police said the scrawler drew a swastika on a City Hall pillar. He then fled southbound on Park Row.

The New York Daily News reported that the suspect has been leaving the hate-filled symbols around the city since Dec. 3, when he left three swastikas on a wall inside a construction site on Maiden Lane near Cortland St. in the Financial District.

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force continues to investigate each case.

In a statement released Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she is directing the New York State Police to assist in the ongoing investigation as well.

"I am appalled and disgusted that a swastika was scrawled on the wall of the Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall subway station. No one should walk the streets in fear of hate, bigotry and antisemitism," she said. "An attack on a Jewish New Yorker is an attack on all of us. If you commit a hate crime, you are picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers. We are united in saying that hate has no home here in New York.

Mayor Bill de Blasio also condemned the crimes Wednesday in a tweet.

"This would be outrageous anywhere in our city but it’s especially galling for it to happen outside the building where the people’s work is done," the mayor said. "The NYPD HCTF is investigating this and will bring the perpetrator to justice. If you have any information, contact them immediately."

Police said the suspect is described as a male with a light complexion. He was last seen wearing a black/gray poncho, black backpack, black jeans and multicolored sneakers.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at this link or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.

VIDEO: Vandal draws swastikas on City Hall pillar: