A 31-year-old man orchestrated a political stunt by vandalizing the 9/11 Memorial Reflecting Pool in broad daylight, using red spray paint.
Jonathan Andrew Tijerina was arrested and faces charges for criminal mischief and graffiti after tagging a section of the North Tower reflecting pool with the name of his website, as reported by CBS News New York.
The phrases “juststopkillingkids.com” were painted in red across the names of victims etched into the memorial dedicated to those lost during the September 11 attacks.
Tijerina openly claimed responsibility for the act, even posting a video online that documented his actions from start to finish. In the footage, he can be seen approaching the memorial, pulling out a spray can, and marking his message across several panels.
The estimated cost of the damage from this vandalism exceeds $2,500, according to police.
“My name is Jon Tijerina and I’ve just spray-painted ‘just stop killing kids’ on the 9/11 Memorial,” he declared proudly.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum quickly removed the graffiti, restoring the site to its original condition. A spokesperson stated that the memorial serves as a sacred space for reflection, honoring nearly 3,000 victims from the terrorist attacks in 2001 and 1993.
Tijerina’s website advocates for “nonviolent civil resistance” to achieve legislative change, claiming that his methods would foster societal improvement.
In fact, he portrayed his arrest as a victory aimed at catching the attention of both President Trump and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Tijerina insisted that common-sense measures regarding gun control, like Universal Background Checks and a National Gun Registry, need to be enforced.
He pointed to a recent shooting incident following a Florida A&M homecoming football game as part of his rationale for the vandalism.
His “civil resistance organization” issued two primary demands to “Just Stop Killing Kids,” focusing on implementing universal background checks and a comprehensive gun registry.
“These are specific, achievable demands that have widespread public support and already exist in other wealthy nations. We’re not seeking the impossible — merely what every other affluent democracy currently has,” the website asserts.
Additionally, Tijerina expressed frustration over a previous protest, a week-long fast that he believed went unnoticed. This fast aimed to call for two million affordable housing units to be created in the city over the next five years.
