A Rhode Island middle school social studies teacher was arrested on Saturday morning in connection to the vandalism of a statue of Christopher Columbus in Providence, Rhode Island.
According to a local news report, middle school social studies teacher Derrick Garforth was charged with felony desecration of a grave or monument after a statue of Christopher Columbus in Providence, Rhode Island, was vandalized on Saturday morning.
Two suspects were splattering paint on wooden barriers set up to protect the Columbus monument in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence on Saturday morning when they were spotted by police. After a brief chase, Garforth and two other individuals were arrested.
Providence Councilman James Taylor told reporters that the Columbus statue was boarded up on Friday evening due to construction that was taking place in the surrounding park.
“New lighting, new picnic benches, and we were concerned when they bring the equipment that they might hit the statue,” Taylor said.
Garforth, a social studies teacher at Jenks Middle School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was placed on leave by the school district pending an investigation into his actions.
Breitbart News reported earlier this month that junior high school teacher Zachary Borenstein was arrested on felony charges of defacing a monument after he was caught vandalizing a monument at the University of Mississippi.
Stay tuned to Breitbart News for more updates on this story.