The New York Police Department (NYPD) are investigating the destruction of a Virgin Mary statue outside St.Rita Roman Catholic Church in Long Island City as a possible hate crime after a man climbed over a fence and repeatedly smashed it down using a hammer.In surveillance video released by The Diocese of Brooklyn, the masked man is seen violently hitting the statue outside the church in what Catholic officials say is the latest in a string of attacks targeting the parish.ANCIENT ESTATE TIED TO GROUP IN THE BIBLE UNEARTHED WITH 'FASCINATING' TREASURES IN ISRAELThe Virgin Mary statue was vadalised outside St.
Rita Roman Catholic Church in Long Island City (St.Rita’s Church)In a press release, church officials said it is the fourth reported vandalism incident targeting the parish since 2024, with the New York City Police Department investigating the latest vandalism as a possible hate crime.According to the Diocese of Brooklyn, the incident happened at around 1:42 a.m.
on Aug.1.WORLD-FAMOUS CATHOLIC SHRINE TORCHED, 'DEVIL IN A SKIRT' SCRAWLED ON VIRGIN MARY STATUEThe Diocese said in a statememt that the attack was the fourth vandalism incident at St.
Rita Roman Catholic Church since 2024.(St.
Rita Roman Catholic Church)The video shows the man, who is wearing a dark T-shirt and shorts, climb over the fence into a courtyard where a statue of the Blessed Mother stood.The suspect removes a hammer from his pocket and repeatedly strikes the statue before knocking it off its pedestal.He then climbs back over the fence and walks away.The Diocese said in a statement that the attack was the fourth vandalism incident at St.
Rita Roman Catholic Church since 2024.WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY BEHEADING JESUS STATUE OUTSIDE CATHOLIC CHURCHSurveillance video released by the church shows a masked man, in a dark shirt and shorts, jumping over a fence into a courtyard where a statue of the Blessed Mother stood.(St.
Rita’s Church.)Past acts of vandalism in the parish include ...