NYPD Investigates Vandalism as Hate Crime at St. Rita Roman Catholic Church

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is investigating the vandalism of a Virgin Mary statue outside St. Rita Roman Catholic Church in Long Island City. Officials consider this incident a potential hate crime. A man climbed a fence and struck the statue with a hammer repeatedly.

The Diocese of Brooklyn provided surveillance footage showing the suspect in action. He wore a mask and used a hammer to smash the statue. This act is considered part of a series of targeted attacks on the parish, according to Catholic representatives.

This incident marks the fourth vandalism case reported at the church since 2024. Church officials said other acts of vandalism included damage to a 60-year-old stained-glass window and graffiti on a statue of St. Francis of Assisi. Another statue, representing St. Jude, also suffered damage inside the church.

The attack occurred at approximately 1:42 a.m. on August 1. After breaking the statue, the suspect left the scene by climbing back over the fence and walking away.

Despite the clear footage, the NYPD has made no arrests yet. John Quaglione, Deputy Press Secretary for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, highlighted that hate crimes have increased by 9.4% over a seven-month comparison period from the previous year.