NYPD opens hate crime investigation into vandalism of George Floyd statue at de Blasio’s orders

The police say they are investigating spray paint found on the statue of George Floyd in Brooklyn as a hate crime, according to NBC News. Police say the statue was defaced with the website of "Patriot Front" spray painted in black across its face.

Patriot Front has been labeled by groups like the Southern Poverty Law Centre as "a white nationalist hate group" due to its connections to the Charlottetown "Unite the Right" rally and other incidents.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio described the vandalism as a "racist, loathsome, despicable act of hate" and announced that the city "will bring these cowards to justice."

The statue of George Floyd was unveiled in Brooklyn on the new federal holiday, "Juneteenth" and is to commemorate Floyd who was murdered by officer Derek Chauvin after attempting to pass a fake $20 bill at a convenience store.

Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of killing George Floyd, was sentenced by Judge Kahill on Friday to 22 and a half years in prison, with 199 days time served.

Many are calling the investigation hypocritical due to the fact that De Blasio didn't respond or open any hate crime investigations when historical statues were torn down in 2020, most of which were broadcast on livestreams.

Activist and author Shaun King also said he wants justice for the George Floyd statue. In 2020, King called for statues to be pulled down in the name of social justice, proclaiming fully that the tearing down of statues as a form of political speech was a necessary and laudable act.

New York police distributed photos from security video that captured four people walking in the area of the Brooklyn statue at the time, along with other surveillance video. The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.