New York, NY-On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28^th, 2013, a memorial garden dedicated to victims of the September 11^th attacks was shockingly vandalized with spray painted graffiti. Additionally, Good Shepherd School as well as a recently opened local business, Inwood Gourmet, were also defaced. In light of these abhorrent acts, Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Northern Manhattan) spoke out vehemently against the recent spate of graffiti in the neighborhood.

"I condemn in the strongest possible way the defacement of the 9/11 memorial at Good Shepherd Church. The garden memorial is a symbolic monument to the brave souls who gave their lives helping to save others on that infamous day. Therefore, this is an affront not only to the Inwood community but to the City of New York. My office has been in communication with Pastor Robert Abbatiello and expressed our desire to assist in whatever way possible. Such senseless acts of vandalism have no place in Northern Manhattan. It is utterly unacceptable and entirely uncharacteristic of what this community stands for and I expect the perpetrators to be found and punished to the fullest extent of the law."