FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 4, 2019
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org
John Quaglione
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org
BROOKLYN CATHOLIC CHURCH VANDAL ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME
The Diocese of Brooklyn is announcing the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Williamsburg was vandalized this past weekend and the NYPD’s 94th Precinct has made an arrest in the case. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office has since charged the individual with a hate crime.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, November 3, 2019, three men were caught on camera walking past the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Rectory located at 275 N. 8th Street in Brooklyn. The video captures one of the men pulling plants from the garden, throwing them at the rectory door and screaming into the camera. The two other men did not participate in the vandalism.
The individual continues in a rage to knock down a statue of St. Jude, drag it into the middle of the street, repeatedly kick and leave it in the roadway. The video shows cars driving around the statue until one driver finally stops, picks it up and places it back on church property. The damaged statue is valued at approximately $5000.
“This exhibition of violence, anger, and hatred is very disturbing. This is definitely an attack on the Catholic Church,” said Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, Pastor of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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