PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The York statue in Portland’s Mt. Tabor Park was toppled and damaged overnight, according to officials.
A spokesperson with Portland Parks and Recreation told KOIN 6 News the bust was torn from its pedestal, sustaining significant damage sometime during Tuesday night or early morning Wednesday. A park visitor notified a maintenance worker of the incident shortly after 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
The statue commemorates York, an enslaved Black member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
“The York bust appeared in Mt. Tabor park in February as a happy surprise to Portland Parks & Recreation. Unfortunately, the numerous racist responses to the memorial of a Black man forced to participate in the Corps of Discovery Expedition have not been a surprise,” PP&R Director Adena Long stated. “The latest act of vandalism is incredibly disappointing for me, and I’m sure the majority of Portlanders will miss seeing York at the top of Mt. Tabor.”
The shattered bust has since been cleaned up and cleared from the area. Long says PP&R staff will inspect it and determine if it can be salvaged.
This is the latest act of vandalism against the statue. Back in June, a woman accused of vandalizing the bust was identified and cited.
This is a developing story.