A 17-year-old boy accused of vandalizing the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston has been arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
Prosecutors say the Malden teenager appeared in juvenile court Tuesday. He was ordered to stay away from the memorial and follow mental health guidance.
The teen is accused of smashing a glass panel on the memorial Monday. Police say the boy was detained by two bystanders until police arrived. He was charged with willful and malicious destruction of property.
Police say another suspect faces a vandalism charge after damaging flowers placed at the memorial Tuesday morning.
In June, authorities say James Isaac used a rock to shatter a glass panel on one of the memorial’s six 54-foot-high (16-meter-high) towers. Isaac has pleaded not guilty to vandalism charges.
It is the second time the memorial has been damaged in the past few months.
In June, police said James Isaac used a rock to shatter a roughly 9-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) glass panel on one of the memorial’s six 54-foot-high (16-meter-high) towers. Isaac has pleaded not guilty to vandalism charges.
The six glass towers are lit internally and etched with millions of numbers that represent tattoos on the arms of many Jews sent to Nazi death camps.
The repaired memorial was rededicated in July.
The Jewish Community Relations Council and Combined Jewish Philanthropies released a statement late Monday night saying that they are “appalled and saddened” by the latest vandalism.
“We will remain resilient and will have a timeline for rebuilding the memorial once we have assessed the damage,” the statement said.
(AP)