A 16-year-old boy has been arrested for vandalizing a World War I memorial in New York City's Central Park during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, according to a report.
The teen, who is known to attend rallies organized by the anti-Israeli group Within Our Lifetime, has been charged with criminal mischief in the third degree, a felony, and making graffiti, a misdemeanor, the New York Post reported.
He is accused of damaging the 107th Infrantry Memorial during a rally on Monday evening.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Kaz Daughtry posted a pixilated photo of the teen sitting in a police station on the social media platform X.
"The despicable vandalism we saw earlier this week on the WWI Memorial will not be ignored, and will not go unpunished. One of the culprits was placed in handcuffs today thanks to the World's Greatest Detectives," Daughtry said.
"This isn't simply juvenile hijinks - it's an act of desecration that undermines the freedoms our heroes fought and died for," he added.
The New York Post initally reported that the teen's dad turned him in, but police have since refuted that.
The teen is a student at Tottenville High School on Staten Island and has no prior arrests, the New York Post reported.
Another protester at Monday's demonstration set an American flag ablaze in front of the memorial honoring World War I soldiers.
Others were seen waving Palestinian flags.
The words "Gaza" and "Free Palestine" were scrawled on the base of the memorial.
