A Texas man bashed on the “Charging Bull” statue in Manhattan’s Financial District with what appeared to be a banjo Saturday, leaving the iconic idol with a gash on its right horn, police said.
Witnesses spotted an agitated Tevon Varlack, 42, of Dallas, repeatedly whacking the bronze bovine’s right horn with a large metal object that resembled a string instrument at 12:30 p.m., authorities said.
It’s unclear what Varlack was muttering during his rampage against the popular sculpture, but passersby were saddened to see the stout statue’s wounds.
Varlack was arrested without incident when police arrived at the site on Broadway near Morris Street. He was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.
As of Saturday night, he was awaiting arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court.
The 3½-ton bull — a symbol of stock-market optimism — was created by Italian sculptor Arturo Di Modica in 1989.
The artist, now in his late 70s, offered the work free of charge as his “gift” to America. He’s been known to go after people who mess with his creation.
In 2017, Di Modica vowed to seek revenge on a female sculptor named Kristen Visbal, who was commissioned to create a bronze statue of a young girl staring down the bull — famously dubbed the “Fearless Girl.” The piece was supposed to send a message about workplace gender diversity and spark conversation about having more women in positions of power.
Many people, including activists and feminists, viewed the bull as a symbol of the male dominance in Wall Street — a claim Di Modica has repeatedly blasted.
“I am not against women,” the artist told reporters in 2017.
It was ultimately unclear why Varlack chose to target the “Charging Bull” on Saturday. Di Modica and his lawyers could not be reached for comment.
Additional reporting by Chris Perez
