Vandals in New York scrawl obscenities about Queen Elizabeth on Wall Street's iconic charging bull

The NYPD is looking for four people who vandalized Wall Street's renowned Charging Bull statue scrawling obscenities, the day following Queen Elizabeth II's death. The suspects: two women and two men were seen wandering around Manhattan at 2:30 a.m. on September 9.

According to sources, they defaced the bull's forehead using 'paint marker-like equipment.' The graffiti was subsequently erased. Graffiti is a Class A misdemeanor in New York, which means it can result in up to a year in prison.

Those found guilty may also be required to pay a fine and restitution charges. The 7,100-pound bull was constructed by Italian artist Arturo Di Modica in 1989 and displayed as guerilla art in lower Manhattan.



It has already been vandalized multiple times, notably twice in 2019.

Tevon Varlack, a Texas truck driver, struck 'the devil' sculpture with a steel instrument in September 2019, destroying its right horn. He was arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief, disorderly behavior, and criminal weapon possession. The following month, a climate activist splashed the bull with crimson paint and staged a 'die-in' at its hooves to draw attention to what they claimed was an environmental catastrophe caused by Wall Street. In February 2021, the bull was covered with flowers to commemorate Di Modica's death.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-reigned queen, died at the age of 96 in Balmoral, after reigning for almost 70 years. She died peacefully at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer. The Queen ascended to the throne in 1952 and experienced considerable societal transformation.

FAQs

Q. What is Graffiti?
A. Graffiti is considered an act of criminal damage in England and Wales under the Criminal Damage Act 1971, and perpetrators face an unlimited fine. Graffiti is considered an act of vandalism in Scotland and is punishable under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995.

Q.Who was Arturo Di Modica?
A. Arturo Di Modica was an Italian-born American artist best known for his iconic work Charging Bull (1989). Installed without permission in front of the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street, the artist spent his own money producing the three-ton bronze sculpture.