A menorah display made of ice in Morristown was not vandalized in a bias-crime incident during Hanukkah, but rather mistakenly bumped, police clarified Saturday.
On Tuesday, a local media outlet informed police about an incident involving a community ice sculpture, approximately 5 feet tall, depicting a menorah, Morristown Police Captain Keith Cregan told NJ Advance Media.
A review of surveillance footage and subsequent interviews revealed the ice sculpture, which is on display in a public park, was accidentally knocked over around 2:50 p.m. on Dec. 27, Cregan said in a statement.
Several hours later, a group of juveniles was seen smashing the remaining chunks of ice from the menorah, police said. Their actions allegedly caused damage to the surrounding cement pavers.
Menorahs, multi-branched candelabras, are used during the eight-day festival of Hanukkah which ends Jan. 2.
Police have reached out to local school resource officers to assist in identifying the juveniles involved, according to a statement.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Morristown police at 973-538-2200, referencing IR 2024-41377.
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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.
