Brooklyn, NY - NYPD Investigating Stolen Statue of Liberty Replica Beheaded In YouTube Video |
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The slogans "We don't want your freedom" and "Death to America" float across the screen in the chilling clip - reminiscent of real terrorist videos.
The NYPD's computer sleuths are investigating who posted the video. They could call in the FBI if they feel it's more than a sick joke, sources told the Daily News on Wednesday.
The manager of Ditmas Park's Vox Pop - known as much for lefty politics as java - said she couldn't sleep after watching the footage.
"I'm scared. I'm hoping I don't have to fear for my life but I feel very nervous," Debi Ryan said.
"This was clearly politically motivated. Whoever did this is trying to shut us up. They were targeting what we represent."
The 8-foot fiberglass figure vanished June 21 from the sidewalk in front of the Cortelyou Road coffeehouse. A $250 reward and "Find Liberty" rally failed to spark its return.
The YouTube clip, dated July 4, was sent anonymously to the Daily News on Tuesday and to Ryan the next day.
"Liberty is the holy masquerade of the decapitated, so we decapitated it in the struggle for a truly free unity," the vandal wrote in the email.
The minute-long clip, titled "Liberty Vox Pop Death," opens with the American flag followed by a scene of Lady Liberty blindfolded.
A gloved hand is shown sawing off the head off and bashing the head with a baseball bat. The screen flashes the message: "We don't want your freedom."
The video ends with a black-clad faceless vandal grabbing the smashed head by the crown and holding it up to the camera before the message, "Death to America."
Ryan says the video is a clear imitation of terrorist videos, like the Daniel Pearl assassination.
"It harkens back to images of reporters being beheaded," she said.
There has been some tension between the community and Vox Pop.
Seen as a harbinger of gentrification, it was both defended and mocked for hitting up locals for donations after being shut down for health violations.
Patrons were horrified that someone would take the dispute so far.
"There has been some friction in the neighborhood over some of the changes on Cortelyou over the past few years, but it's unthinkable what would provoke anyone to do something like this," said Ditmas Park teacher June Degreen, 53.
"It looks like these people may just want publicity for their boneheaded cause or, of course, they could be dangerous and up to something far more sinister. I would prefer to err on the side of caution."
Vox Pop regular Angie Ruckel 29, said she hopes police are taking the threat seriously.
"The people who did this are deranged and need to be taken off the street," Ruckel said. "If this isn't hate speech I don't know what it is. They destroyed an important symbol of freedom with the intent of intimidating us. This is terror."
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Read Comments (13) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 08, 2009 at 08:52 PM ML Says:
If they do not like America's freedom they can go back to where ever they came from.
2
Jul 08, 2009 at 08:59 PM Yankel Says:
Sandor Hicks, the founder of this Vox Pop is a conspiracy theorist who is convinced that the US government attacked the Trade Center of 9/11. Under his leadership the cafe was shut by the heath department. After fund raising for money to cure the problems it was reopened supposedly under different managment, but I assume Hicks is still involved. I wouldn't be surprised if he's somehow behind the theft and video. Best to ignore him and his kind.
3
Jul 08, 2009 at 08:40 PM Anonymous Says:
It seems like this place attracts alot of nuts. I can't see why the leftist community would be afraid of something like this. This cookoo was only practicing his freedom of speech.
4
Jul 08, 2009 at 09:48 PM Anonymous Says:
“ It seems like this place attracts alot of nuts. I can't see why the leftist community would be afraid of something like this. This cookoo was only practicing his freedom of speech. ”
however, he was vandalizing their property, therefore this can be seen as a threatening message to some.
Do we even know if this is even THEIR liberty statue?
5
Jul 08, 2009 at 10:16 PM Babishka Says:
Some idiot wants attention.
6
Jul 09, 2009 at 03:41 AM Anonymous Says:
NYPD at the test, if they won't get this lunatic soon, he might feel tempted to do this for real.
7
Jul 09, 2009 at 12:48 AM DizzyIzzy Says:
“ It seems like this place attracts alot of nuts. I can't see why the leftist community would be afraid of something like this. This cookoo was only practicing his freedom of speech. ”
Liberals only allow agree with freedom of speech when they agree with what's being said.
8
Jul 09, 2009 at 12:30 AM Debi Ryan Says:
As I am sure you have all heard by now, the Statue of Liberty that stood proudly in front of Vox Pop has been destroyed. The Statue was used in a disturbing video posted on You Tube. I am not sure why they chose our statue to perpetrate this crime, but a crime it is. It has been stolen and destroyed and used as a message of hate and this situation is being taken very seriously by our law enforcement agencies. Whatever their intent may have been, the outcome is clear. I have every confidence that the miscreants will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. While I believe in the right for everyone to say what they think, whether I personally agree with it or not, I do not believe they have the right to destroy someone else's property to do it.
Vox Pop is a community owned coffee shop. We offer fair trade coffees and teas, organic foods, live music, poetry readings, independently published books and a gallery of local artist works. We strive to create a welcoming, open space for people to meet, relax and discuss the world around them. Our broad range of programming includes children's story hour and movement classes, independent film screenings, workshops on sustainability and meditation and even bicycle repair. I am saddened that they chose to target our neighborhood space.
In spite of what you may have read, I am not in fear for my life, I do not feel personally targeted and I don't believe it was trying to shut us up. If they were targeting what we represent, then I guess they were targeting community. Because, to me, that is what Vox Pop represents. And I for one will not let this incident change that. I loved that statue, and I will miss her gracing our garden, standing for our Liberty and our freedom to be whomever we choose to be. While she may be gone, what she symbolizes is still alive and well at Vox Pop.
9
Jul 09, 2009 at 07:11 AM Anonymous Says:
“ NYPD at the test, if they won't get this lunatic soon, he might feel tempted to do this for real. ”
what? behead the statue of liberty? hahahaha
someone just wants attention!
10
Jul 08, 2009 at 11:42 PM Anonymous Says:
really sick puppies. but who knows who did it?
11
Jul 09, 2009 at 07:51 AM bobby maniac Says:
pigs this is america love my country or crawl back into or under whatever cave or rock you crawled out of with out this country you would all be living in caves chasing each other with sticks in the desert. so go home and free up some surplus money for an american family who could really use it!
12
Jul 09, 2009 at 10:25 AM Anonymous Says:
Anybody who lives in America knows what the Statue of Liberty represents. Anybody who can destroy even a copy of the Statue of Liberty should be extradited from this country after being tried here to the fullest extent of the law and maybe tarred and feathered and marched up a main street so that we CAN ADD MORE FEATHERS AND MORE TAR!!
13
Jul 10, 2009 at 12:21 AM me Says:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to destroy freedom,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to my home,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door! (So they can clearly see how to get the hell out.")