New Yorkers doing a double take outside City Hall on Monday afternoon were not imagining things: that really was a towering middle-finger sculpture planted on the plaza and pointed squarely at the building. The oversized hand, big enough to catch the eye from the street, drew a steady stream of gawkers who stopped to film and snap photos. Staten Island artist and activist Scott LoBaido later hinted at the stunt in a short social media countdown video that teased the big reveal.
According to Dallas Express, LoBaido rolled out the piece at about 3:40 p.m. ET and posted a quick "3… 2… 1…" message on X just before the installation went live. The outlet reported that video credited to Freedomnews.tv showed the statue angled toward City Hall and pulling in immediate attention from people passing through the area. City Hall had not issued any formal comment on the pop-up sculpture at the time of that report.
A familiar stunt from a Staten Island artist
LoBaido has spent years turning roadside spectacle and political theater into his calling card. His website showcases flag-heavy paintings and traveling installations that lean into showmanship as much as brushwork and merch. In 2023, he grabbed national headlines when he lobbed pizzas over the City Hall gates to protest proposed rules on coal-fired pizza ovens, a protest covered by Fox News. His social feeds and site chronicle a constant churn of public demonstrations and large-scale props, turning his mix of theatrics, fundraising and sales into something that reads as performance art and political statement at the same time.
Why the gesture lands now
Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office on Jan. 1, 2026, and his first stretch in charge has been packed with executive orders and hotly debated policy moves that keep City Hall firmly in the spotlight. Reporting from The New York Times and updates from the mayor’s own office describe an administration moving quickly on housing, policing and other core issues. That rapid pace gives critics and activists plenty of opportunities to respond in real time, often right on the doorstep of City Hall.
What happens next
Under city rules for temporary public art and demonstrations, the sculpture’s future likely depends on permits and whether the NYPD or Parks Department decides to step in. Early clips did not make clear if officials planned to remove the piece or take any enforcement action. The Dallas Express noted that the statue remained in place into the evening with no immediate move by authorities to haul it away, although that could change if agencies determine it runs afoul of public-space regulations. Regardless of how long it stays planted on the plaza, the gesture has already muscled its way into the political conversation and turned one act of public art into an early stress test for the new administration at City Hall.
