Vandals Write Anti-Semitic Messages On American Flag Murals On Staten Island
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – American flag murals have been found covered with messages of hate on Staten Island.
On Thursday, Dennis McKeon painted over a new addition to a piece of outdoor art.
"Obviously this person doesn't respect the flag," he told CBS2's Valerie Castro.
The flag mural is one of 50 that fly on buildings all over the community painted by artist Scott Lobaido.
Vandals Write Anti-Semitic Messages On American Flag Murals On Staten Island
"All over the place, they're fantastic," Staten Island resident Anthony Monaco said. "Some of them look like they're actually really moving."
McKeon, executive director of a non-profit to help 9/11 families, Where to Turn, helped the artist find the canvases for his work.
"When graffiti started becoming a problem here on Staten Island, we sat down and decided to find 50 locations on Staten Island, clean up the graffiti and get sponsors for Scott to paint flags," McKeon said.
Though many appreciate the patriotic paintings, it seems someone doesn't care for them. One on the side of an ice cream shop on New Dorp Lane was hit with a disturbing message.
"It was an anti-Jewish tag referring to German Jews," McKeon said.
Another one on Hylan Boulevard referenced the artist directly.
"(You said you spoke to Scott. What was his reaction?) He wasn't happy, wasn't happy at all," McKeon said.
The NYPD released surveillance photos and video of a suspect who they say spray painted the words "End the Fed," accompanied by expletives, on walls along Hylan Boulevard and New Dorp Lane. Police say he also wrote other hateful messages on the walls.
McKeon said Lobaido is currently on a 50-state tour painting his murals on VFW posts. While he's gone, McKeon said it's his duty to keep the flags free of hateful messages.
McKeon said he plans to recruit volunteers and local artists to come to the location Saturday to help him restore the mural until the artist returns from out of town.
Where to Turn is offering a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. You can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or texting tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
