(Twitter)
The famous Jackie Robinson statue outside of MCU Park on Coney Island has been vandalized. Spray-painted swastikas and racial slurs cover the monument of the Hall of Fame inductee. The statue depicts the famous pose of Robinson and Pee Wee Reese from 1947.
“Immediately we went into action to try to clean it and remove the graffiti,” said Billy Harner, Director of Communications for the Brooklyn Cyclones.
The graffiti was discovered this morning, hours before the Cyclones’ 11 a.m. game against the Connecticut Tigers. The slurs have been temporarily covered by duct tape pending a more permanent solution, reports CBS Local.
HATE CRIME: *Jackie Robinson statue vandalized *”Die N—-r”, “F–k N—-r” *Swastikas (WATCH) http://t.co/mPeLGJqlzL pic.twitter.com/NIdUDBFmeQ
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) August 7, 2013
The Cyclones organization is going through security tapes to investigate the incident.
Twitter responded this morning to the racially motivated vandalizing:
Racism & its big brother, stupidity: both alive & well. | Racist graffiti found on Jackie Robinson statue in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/nFpi3TkTgL
— Jim Sharpe (@JimSharpe) August 7, 2013
Come on Brooklyn! Smmfgdh. RT @NewsBreaker: Graffiti & racist slurs discovered on Jackie Robinson statue in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/PwhsDAv3ur
— DonBroadway (@DonBroadway) August 7, 2013
#breakmyheart racist graffiti covered at jackie robinson statue at cyclones stadium in brooklyn. so angry. pic.twitter.com/jzVGfRU1QX
— Bill Ritter (@billritter7) August 7, 2013
Sick to my stomach RT: "A statue of Jackie Robinson in Brooklyn, N.Y. was defaced with racial slurs overnight. http://t.co/HpXbhF0mQa"
— Mike (@Mikey_Clem14) August 7, 2013
Base of Jackie Robinson statue now covered pic.twitter.com/GIqjxZFdaz
— glenn schuck (@glennschuck) August 7, 2013