Andrew Jackson
The Department of Justice announced Saturday that four men have been charged with trying to tear down the statue of President Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. by the White House. Each of the defendants face a count of destruction of federal property. Their actions were all caught on tape, and happened amid protests, authorities said.
- Virginia man Lee Michael Cantrell, 47. Authorities say he used a wooden board trying to pry the Jackson statue off its base, and attempted to pullthe statue down using a yellow strap.
- D.C. man Connor Matthew Judd, 20. He was trying to pull down the statue, authorities said. This defendant was arrested Friday, according to the DOJ.
- Maryland man Ryan Lane, 37. He tied a rope to the statue, and pulling on another rope, authorities said.
- Maine man Graham Lloyd, 37. He allegedly broke off wheels of cannons at the statue’s base, and destroyed them. The defendant also pulled on ropes trying to tip over the statue, and gave a hammer to an unidentified person who was involved.
It’s unclear if they have attorneys in this matter.
“Members of the United States Park Police are working tirelessly to provide quality law enforcement, safeguard lives, protect our national treasures and symbols of democracy, and preserve the natural and cultural resources entrusted to its service,” said Gregory T. Monahan, Acting Chief of the United States Park Police. “We are committed to ensuring that citizens are able to freely exercise their constitutional rights in a safe and peaceful manner. The deplorable acts of violence and destruction of property are unacceptable and will continue to be pursued through ongoing collaborative investigations and enforcement efforts.”
[Image via Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images]