The University of Houston Police Department has released surveillance footage that appears to show the moment when a controversial sculpture at the University of Houston was “beheaded” by a currently unidentified person around a week ago.
The footage, which was captured at around 3:00 a.m. on July 8, shows a figure approaching the sculpture and climbing the top of it. While they are momentarily obscured by a tree in front of the camera, the footage shows the sculpture’s “head” falling to the ground. The vandal then descends the sculpture and runs out of frame.
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The sculpture, titled “Witness” was created by Pakistani American artist Shahzia Sikander and officially opened to the public on February 28.
According to a statement from Sikander, the piece was originally meant to represent a wide variety of themes, including the autonomy of women and their resilience in “breaking through” challenges in a traditionally male-dominated society.
However, the piece attracted a fair bit of controversy after being unveiled, sparking protests from various religious groups. Some groups, such as Catholic activist group “Tradition, Family and Property” claimed that the statue was “anti-Catholic” and “Satanic” in its appearance. Others, including the Texas Right to Life movement, criticized the piece for what they saw as a connection to “pro-abortion” messaging.
Representatives from the university said they “understand the strong feelings of the affected community” in a statement released on July 12. The officials promised to work with Sikander to determine “next steps” regarding the future of the piece.
As of the writing of this piece, UH police have been unable to confirm the motive behind the vandalism, adding that the incident was still under active investigation. Representatives of UHPD also stated that they would provide updates to the community as the investigation continues.