Community Corner
UPDATE: Recognize This Tag? Tell Cops Investigating 'Runaway Bunny' Vandalism Case
But park staff have managed to remove most of the racist and obscene graffiti from the sculpture of the beloved character from Margaret Wise Brown's iconic children's book.
A so-called graffiti 'tag' on the Runaway Bunny sculpture may help to identify the people responsible for the vandalism. We have cropped the photo to exclude the vulgarity and obscene language to show you the offending 'tag': 8=D. We have heard from both commenters (thanks Ronnie Sposato Jr. and Westerly Police) that this particular 'tag' has been found in other locations in Westerly including Craig Field. If you have any ideas who that might be, contact police at 401-348-6131.
By Ellyn Santiago
If you are local, and have a child under the age of 16, then chances are you have a photograph of them with the Runaway Bunny sculpture in Wilcox Park in Westerly.
Over the weekend, the beloved statue, created by Mystic's Joan Binney Ross, was vandalized. The perpetrators used three different colors of spray paint to tag the bronze sculpture with obscene and racist graffiti.
According to Kathryn Taylor, Westerly Public Library director, a surveillance camera captured activity around the statue last Friday night at 10 p.m.
Taylor said police are investigating and Patch has a call in to Westerly Police Chief Edward St. Clair for more information.
The good news? Parks worker Paul Panciera was able to begin removing much of the obscene and racist graffiti from the bronze statue Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Taylor has asked that folks share their Runaway Bunny pictures on the Westerly Public Library Facebook page.
And Stonington Patch would love to see your photos, too. Post them on Stonington Patch!
Check back with Patch for updates on this story.
Update July 23 at 1 p.m.
Westerly Police Chief Edward St. Clair said the surveillance tape from the camera positioned at the Westerly Public Library, while focused on the area where the Runaway Bunny sculpture is located, is nonetheless too far from the location to reveal any clear images. In the meantime, youth officers including Officer Paul Gingerella, are "canvassing" kids in the area to see if they can provide any leads.
"If people have any information or, as always, if you see something suspicious, call the tip line," St. Clair said, at 401-348-6131.
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