An unknown perpetrator splashed red paint on the Jan Karski monument and part of the façade and entrance doors of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York. The incident occurred on Friday morning in Manhattan. Consul General Mateusz Sakowicz stated that both law enforcement authorities and the diplomatic mission are treating the matter as a priority. He emphasized that, at this stage, there is no indication that the act was politically motivated. Efforts are underway to remove the damage and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The vandalism took place during the morning hours on Friday. The consul stressed that the case is being handled as a top security priority for the mission.
“The relevant authorities are working on this together with us. At the moment, this is one of our highest priorities,”
he said.
According to Sakowicz, there is currently no basis for interpreting the incident as a political statement or an act driven by political motives.
“It appears to be an act of vandalism, simply put. As for the perpetrator’s motives, I cannot say,” the consul noted.
The paint covered part of the wall as well as a section of the “Karski Bench” monument.
“Where possible, we removed it ourselves. The rest will be handled by municipal services using appropriate chemical agents,”
Sakowicz explained.
The “Karski Bench,” unveiled in 2000 at the corner of 37th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan, has been the target of vandalism before, including an incident in 2017. In 2015, on the 15th anniversary of the death of the legendary courier of the Polish Underground State, artist Olek (Agata Oleksiak) temporarily covered the monument in gold yarn as a commemorative art project honoring the hero.
During World War II, Jan Karski delivered reports to the Allied powers documenting the Holocaust and the extermination of European Jews. After the war, he became a professor at Georgetown University and one of the most widely recognized witnesses to the history of the twentieth century.