Vandals Throw Red Paint At Mexican Consulate
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There is stepped up security outside the Mexican Consulate after vandals targeted the building overnight.
Red paint is splattered on the front of the Mexican Consulate, the sidewalk and scaffolding on 39th Street between Madison and Park avenues.
Inspector Kevin Nicholson told CBS2's Meg Baker that two men threw a cup of red paint on the mission before fleeing around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The incident was caught on camera.
"Everything was caught on video and detectives are pulling the video and reviewing it as we speak," Nicholson said.
Ambassador Sandra Fuentes said it happened as security was changing guards and is worried the incident may have been protesters from Monday. A small group of people could be seen outside the consulate Tuesday, protesting the Mexican president who is in town for the U.N. General Assembly.
"The one that protested yesterday is the most radical one and is the one that commits acts of violence," Fuentes said. "I understand fully that they have a right to freedom of speech, they have a right to protest but I have duty to protect both the facility and personnel of the consulate."
The ambassador explained this is not the first time the consulate has been a target.
In 2007, a man on a bicycle threw phony bombs at the building and the FBI connected the person to other bombings, including one at the Times Square Military Recruiting station. The investigation into that case is ongoing and the FBI is offering a reward for information.
"In the last incident they painted with a paint that was very difficult to remove [from] all walls of consulate," Fuentes said, adding that incident had to do with the disappearance of 43 students killed in Mexico last year.
Some believe that could have also spurred the latest incident.
"He hasn't done anything to help find those people, as president should have done more," one man outside the consulate told Baker.
Others think this was done in protest of the Mexican president over an American, Brad Will, killed in 2006 during demonstrations, Baker reported.
Police have recovered the paint can and are checking for fingerprints.
