NEW YORK (AP) — The reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of those responsible for defacing a statue of Jackie Robinson in New York with swastikas and hate speech is now $50,000.
The Jackie Robinson Foundation says Friday it has received two donations totaling $40,000. The Daily News has offered $10,000 for information in the case.
On Wednesday, the words “Heil Hitler,” an expletive and racist epithets were discovered scrawled on the statue in black marker. The statute of Jackie Robinson and a teammate stands outside Brooklyn’s minor league baseball stadium.
The New York City Parks Department removed the hate speech Thursday.
The Daily News reports $20,000 of the reward money was donated by foundation board member Joe Plumeri. The other $20,000 was donated anonymously.
Police are still investigating.
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Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.