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By Molly Farrar
The statue of George Washington in the Boston Public Garden was vandalized over the weekend, according to police.
Boston police responded to the statues around 7:45 a.m. Saturday, just hours before downtown was set to receive hundreds of thousands of visitors for Pride events and a planned “No Kings” protest.
The statue was vandalized with red spray paint lettering and “splashes” of white paint on the granite base and the steps around the statue, police said.
Images shared by NBC 10 Boston show the graffiti, but it’s unclear what the lettering says. In an image shared by @OnlyInBOS on X, it appeared that officials were removing the vandalism. Boston police did not release photos.
The George Washington Monument in the Boston Public Garden was defaced overnight. pic.twitter.com/RmGLiRGcQ9
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) June 16, 2025
Police took a red spray paint can lid found at the base of the statue in as evidence, according to a police report obtained by Boston.com.
The person who called the police said “they already had their own team responding to power wash the graffiti.”
The City of Boston did not return a request for comment. A Boston police spokesperson said the investigation is open and ongoing.
Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.
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