Climate activist vandalizes presidential insignia inside Trump Tower: 'Ruining the planet for profit'
A climate protester was seen spray-painting "USA" over a presidential plaque inside Trump Tower in New York City on Wednesday afternoon.
Nathaniel Smith, 36, a Brooklyn resident, was arrested over the act of vandalism, the New York Police Department told Fox News Digital.
The vandal was filmed spray-painting over the plaque in the Manhattan building before kneeling on the floor and holding a small banner that read: "Game Over," according to video footage of the incident.
He was escorted away from the scene by authorities.
"This is your country. This is our country. This is our planet. … You cannot ruin it without comment. They are ruining the planet for profit," he was heard yelling while being led out of the building.
Bystanders then began taking photos of themselves with the defaced insignia.
Smith is charged with third-degree criminal tampering and possession of a graffiti instrument.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
The incident came a day after an environmental activist group spray-painted the famous Wall Street Charging Bull.
The group was reportedly also behind the vandalism at a Tesla showroom in Lower Manhattan. Video shows two maskless men scrawling "F—k DOGE" and "We do not consent" on the store's windows with fluorescent red and green spray paint.
The group behind the incident appeared to belong to the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion, which is known to overtake public spaces, cause disruptions and deface public buildings.
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We would really love her assistance to help us, but at the end of the day, we have to do what's right and restore some law and order back to Roosevelt. I would like AOC to partner with us... use her platform to help us get funding or connect women to services." Aoc's 'Red Light District' Plagued By Crime As Democrat Who Helped Her Rise To Power Says She 'Disappeared' Daughtry said issues like prostitution have permeated the area for decades, and he remembers it being a hot spot for prostitution in the '90s. He said the migrant crisis exacerbated the situation as many migrants were drawn to the area, given that it already has a large Latin American population. Mayor Eric Adams spearheaded Operation Restore Roosevelt in collaboration with the NYPD and City Council member Francisco Moya, a moderate Democrat who has often been at odds with his party's progressive wing. Daughtry said Moya was a "huge partner" who physically walked Roosevelt Avenue with him and participated in raids, as did Adams. Adams' office said the operation underscored the administration's commitment to "making sure these crime and quality-of-life issues continue to improve." Meng, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital she is working with local law enforcement and Moya on the matter and described the situation as "concerning." Ocasio-Cortez's office told Fox News Digital that she has engaged with local stakeholders in the area and helped fix lights in the neighborhood. The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. Residents Andrew Sokolof Diaz and John Szewczuk told Fox News Digital outside the event that the Roosevelt Avenue problem is a long-standing issue and that local lawmakers must do more to address it. Resident Mark LaVergne pinned much of the blame on Ocasio-Cortez for not doing more and said he felt many of the women were likely trafficked into that murky underground world. "I feel very sad… There's a Dunkin' Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd Street and I noticed that above that there is some sort of thing going on, and I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers," LaVergne said. "I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here, probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they're forced to do this kind of work. You've got to take care of the people that'll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That's justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected."Original article source: AOC, progressives ripped for ignoring 'Red Light' district as prostitution, filthy streets return
