The bronze bust of Taras Shevchenko in the Ukrainian Cultural Garden at Rockefeller Park has been damaged in what volunteers and local Ukrainian groups say looks like gunfire. Small, round holes mark the statue’s right cheek and the back of the head, and caretakers are now documenting the damage and discussing repair options. Cleveland police have been notified, and community members say they want the monument restored quickly.
Damage and initial report
The damage was first reported to authorities after a nearby resident spotted the condition of the monument and contacted police, according to Cleveland.com. The outlet notes that photos and a post from the Parma-based United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio described the marks as “bullet-sized,” with the pattern suggesting the shooter stood in front of the monument and fired upward. Volunteers photographed the statue, and the group alerted the Cleveland Division of Police.
Local reaction and possible motive
“It could be a random shooting or an attack on the Ukrainian committee,” Councilman Mike Polensek told Cleveland.com. Tom Turkaly, who reported the damage to police, told the outlet that the local Ukrainian community plans to repair the monument and m has been coordinating documentation of the damage with volunteers. Officials have not announced any suspects, and police say the matter is under investigation.
Why the monument matters
Taras Shevchenko, a 19th-century poet and painter whose work helped shape Ukrainian national identity, remains a central symbol for Ukrainian communities worldwide, per Britannica. His bust stands in the Ukrainian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park, which preserves monuments and memorials representing dozens of ethnic communities in the city, according to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation. Damage to public monuments in the gardens is uncommon and has drawn swift attention from local organizations.
What’s next
Volunteers continue to document the statue, and organizers say they will move ahead with repairs once police complete their work. Community leaders and Cleveland’s Ukrainian organizations say they hope the monument will be restored to its place in the Cultural Gardens soon. Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact the Cleveland Division of Police; no arrests have been reported.
