An outdoor ice rink installed on the Trump-Kennedy Center plaza for winter programming was vandalized early Friday when a toxic dark brown substance was intentionally spread across large portions of the ice. Photos from the center show extensive contamination of the rink surface and a black plastic gallon-sized jug left behind.
Center leadership said the material is toxic, though authorities have not publicly identified its chemical makeup. The damage was severe enough to force the cancellation of that evening’s scheduled performance by Le Patin Libre, a Montreal-based artistic skating company, which had been due to perform through the weekend.
Investigation and response
The U.S. Park Police are leading the investigation. The center turned over surveillance video to investigators; no suspects have been named and no motive has been disclosed. Center officials stressed this was not a protest but an act of targeted vandalism directed at the facility.
“Today, a targeted attack on the Trump Kennedy Center vandalized and destroyed our outdoor arena, causing severe damage that we unfortunately must cancel tonight’s performance, but we are working feverishly to complete repairs so programming can resume tomorrow,” Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Trump-Kennedy Center, said in a statement to Fox News. “We have turned over video footage to the authorities who are investigating this calculated, malicious attack and hold those responsible accountable.”
Trump-Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell blamed growing political hostility and what he described as vilification from the left. “This is so sad & unnecessary – [the Democrats] have been calling artists urging them to cancel and attacking the Center non-stop. It’s a calculated campaign. And now they have mentally unstable people taking action – and vandalizing the Center,” Grenell posted on social media. “We’ve seen serious death threats and constant harassment. Commonsense Democrats must speak up before this violence takes a life.”
Context and fallout
The center was renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center this past December after its board agreed to add President Donald Trump’s name; it had been the Kennedy Center since 1971. The rebrand has provoked strong opposition from the left, and pressure campaigns have led some artists to cancel engagements. The center pointed to such actions as part of the hostile climate surrounding the venue, noting previous examples of artists bowing out under pressure, including relocations and cancellations documented elsewhere.
Earlier this month, President Trump announced the center would close for extensive renovations for upwards of two years, with operations expected to wind down shortly after the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations in July.
Liberals and lefties are violent and destructive.