Young man in a dark hoodie with the hood up, looking down while holding a small white item outdoors at night.

Queens statue defaced with anti-religious graffiti in early morning hate crime

Queens, NY — A statue in Astoria was vandalized with spray-painted anti-religious messages in an early morning incident now being investigated as a hate crime, police said.

The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, in front of 36-25 11 Street within the confines of the 114th Precinct. According to NYPD Crimestoppers, an unidentified individual used spray paint to deface the statue and write anti-religious remarks at the location.

The individual fled the scene following the act and remains unidentified. No description of the suspect has been released.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify the person responsible for the vandalism.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted online or through the department’s social media platforms.

Key Points

Statue defaced with anti-religious graffiti in Queens
Incident occurred early morning on March 21 in Astoria
Suspect fled and remains unidentified

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Chris Quigley is a Staff Writer and Community News Correspondent for Shore News Network, where she covers local government, public safety, community affairs, politics, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on delivering timely, accurate, and relevant news that helps readers stay informed about the communities in which they live and work.

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Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

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