A crew of vandals trashed a July Fourth celebration upstate by scrawling hateful graffiti on a massive replica of the Declaration of Independence — leaving locals up in arms.
Officials in Putnam County said the cowardly hooligans scrawled “free Palestine,” “abolish ICE” and “500 years of genocide” on an oversized replica of the historic document that was meant to be signed by locals as part of their commemoration for America’s 250th birthday.
Instead, it’s now part of a local police probe.
“What individuals did was grossly disrespectful,” Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne told The Post Wednesday. “Writing over the text of the Declaration, of some individuals who signed the Declaration with a number of politically charged rhetoric and things that I would personally consider to be anti-American.
“If you want to express your first amendment right and the freedom of speech, this is America. You should write it on your own sign and wave it at people in front of the courthouse and say it.”
The massive replica was displayed outside the county’s historic courthouse in the hamlet of Carmel, with a sign inviting the community to put their own John Hancocks on it.
On Friday, Byrne said local officials got word it was damaged, prompting an investigation by the Carmel Police Department and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
The display was taken down and is expected to reappear at local celebrations.
The statements scribbled on the display included, “5,000 children in concentration camps,” “God is telling you stop being cruel USA,” “stop ICE” and “abolish millionaires.”
Byrne said surveillance cameras captured the vandalism and that police have since interviewed several people, but no charges have been filed while the investigation continues.
“I want people to know that we take it seriously,” he said.
“It is incredibly offensive and disrespectful.”
Making matters worse, the county executive said a second act of vandalism at the newly refurbished statue of Sybil Ludington in Carmel is being probed by police after it was reportedly defaced with a white substance this week.
Ludington, a local historical legend, was a 16-year-old girl who hopped a horse in 1777 and rode 40 miles in a Paul Revere-like ride to warn local militias of British forces moving in on nearby Danbury, Connecticut.
“The only term I can really come up with is people who are rooting against the country and are anti-American,” Byrne said.
“We are always striving to be a more perfect union. And for people to be rooting against the country rather than celebrating it, I find it very offensive.”
