Black Lives Matter vandalism: 2 women arrested after BLM mural outside Trump Tower vandalized again
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Two women were arrested for their alleged involvement in vandalizing the Black Lives Matter street mural, which caused an officer to slip and injure himself, in front of Trump Tower Saturday.
The mural was vandalized twice in one day -- for a total of four times in one week.
In the first incident, black paint was splattered all over the mural just after 3 p.m. Saturday.
Bevelyn Beatty, 29, and 39-year-old Edmee Chavan, both of Staten Island, were arrested and charged with criminal mischief. They were both given desk appearance tickets and were released.
The officer was injured after slipping on the paint that was poured on the mural. He injured his arm and his head and was taken to Bellevue Hospital.
In the second incident at Trump Tower Saturday, authorities say a 42-year-old man threw paint on the mural later in the day just before 6 p.m.
Additionally this weekend, two women were spotted throwing black paint onto the the Black Lives Matter mural late Saturday night in Harlem and in Brooklyn early Sunday morning.
Police are looking into whether or not the women arrested at Trump Tower are also responsible for the Harlem and Brooklyn incidents.
"We were certainly aware of the attacks on the murals as a new trend. But we felt sure no one would come to Harlem to purposely do this. We know where our hearts were in creating this mural for Harlem and we also know how much love and support it received. This was not a political statement as much as it was an embrace of a community that we as Black women felt really needed it," said Nikoa Evans Hendricks, Executive Director, Harlem Park to Park.
This weekend was not the first time the mural at Trump Tower was vandalized. It was also vandalized on Friday afternoon.
Police arrested Juliet Germanotta, 39, Luis Martinez, 44, and D'Anna Morgan, 25, and charged them with criminal mischief in connection to Friday's incident. They were released with a desk appearance ticket.
A few hours later, the mural was repaired by DOT crews.
The first incident happened on Monday. Police are still looking for one person in that case who walked up to mural and dumped red paint over the letter V in "Lives," which splattered across the mural as cars drove over it.
Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows the vandal in action:
It is unclear whether he had a political motivation or if he was just looking for attention. But cops say it's still an act of criminal mischief which is a misdemeanor.
The NYPD is now reviewing surveillance videos, and anyone with information is asked to contact the police.
Related: 'Black Lives Matter' painted in front of Trump Tower on 5th Avenue
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