New York City Mayor Eric Adams donated $5,000 to the reward for information leading to the arrest of anti-Israel protesters who vandalized a city World War I monument.
"In spite of the unpopular notion, I'm going to say it: 'I love America,' " Adams said Tuesday at a press conference, according to the New York Post.
The mayor reportedly made his remarks in front of the Central Park World War I monument, which was spray-painted and plastered with anti-Israel stickers by a mob on Monday night.
"We cannot remain silent when our symbols of freedom are desecrated by individuals who clearly hate our country and way of life," he said. "I am not going to remain silent because our silence gives the belief that everything is OK."
"The same rights that they are calling for — they are desecrating the lives of people who have fought for them," he said of the protesters. "I want to show all New Yorkers that our city will not tolerate chaos and disorder."
Adams said he was donating the money in remembrance of his "Uncle Joe," who died at 19 in the Vietnam War.
"I'm not just putting my money where my mouth is," he said. "I'm going to put my money where my heart is.''
With Adams' contribution, the Crime Stoppers' $10,000 reward climbed to a total of $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for the damage, which included burning an American flag, the Post reported.
The mayor said fliers were being distributed in the vicinity with pictures of the culprits, who took part in a violent protest against the Israel-Hamas war.
"We are going to canvas this area," he said. "We are going to treat this crime with the seriousness it deserves."
"This is a top priority for us to solve this crime," he added. "There's a few social media leads we have, and we're going to continue to focus on that. We're asking whoever witnessed anything to please let the New York City Police Department know."
After NYPD officers prevented the mob from reaching the Met Gala at the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art, it unleashed its fury on the 107th Infantry Memorial and another statue from the Civil War era, according to the Post.
On Tuesday, park staff reportedly cleaned the graffiti from the monuments.
During the press conference, City Veterans Services Commissioner Lt. Col. James Hendon said there was a certain kind of irony to the incident.
"What is bitter in its irony is that all who sacrificed and all who died would sacrifice and die again in order to protect the rights and freedoms of the very people who burned this flag and vandalized this monument," Hendon said, according to the Post.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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