NEW ORLEANS – Four statues were either vandalized or pulled down overnight across New Orleans.
Mourners attending the funeral services of Mardi Gras icon Blaine Kern, Sr. this morning spotted a damaged bust of John McDonogh across the street from Gallier Hall, where Kern’s service was underway.
The McDonogh statue was pulled from its pedestal overnight. Crews later recovered the toppled bust and removed it from the scene.
The NOPD is also investigating another incident of vandalism involving a statue on public property.
Detectives were called to the intersection of Canal Street and Jeff Davis Parkway where someone had knocked the bust of Confederate Colonel Charles Didier Dreux off its pedestal.
The incident remains under investigation.
A third statue, this one of Sophie B. Wright, was also vandalized overnight. “BLM” was spray painted on that statue, and a bag was placed over its head.
And on Wednesday, a fourth statue, near the intersection of Tulane Avenue and South Jefferson Davis Parkway, was defaced with graffiti. This statue is of General Albert Pike, a Confederate officer and Freemason. Pike’s statue has been defaced a number of times in recent years.
Just under one month ago, a protest in Duncan Plaza across from City Hall culminated in the removal of a bust of John McDonogh, which was then rolled to the banks of the Mississippi River and pushed in. Two people were arrested for destroying public property.
The investigation into last night’s vandalism remains ongoing.