An American tourist apprehended for vandalizing artistic statues at Israel Museum

A tourist from the United States has been arrested for allegedly destroying ancient sculptures at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Israeli police shared images showing the two Roman statues, dating back to the 2nd Century, shattered on the museum floor. Authorities say the man damaged the statues because he believed they went against the teachings of the Torah, which is the most important text in Judaism. However, his lawyer denies that religious fanaticism motivated his actions. Museum staff alerted the police after witnessing the vandalism. The damaged sculptures, a head of Athena and a statue of a griffin holding the wheel of the Roman god Nemesis, were part of the museum's permanent exhibition. Both have been moved to the conservation lab for restoration. The 40-year-old US citizen was apprehended at the scene and is currently being interrogated by Israeli authorities. Police have not yet released the suspect's identity. During the initial investigation, the man claimed that the statues represented idol worship. This is not the first incident of its kind in the city, as in February, a Jewish American tourist damaged a statue of Christ using a hammer at the Church of the Flagellation on the Way of the Cross. The Israel Museum described the vandalism as a "troubling and unusual event" and condemned all forms of violence. Despite the incident, the museum will remain open to the public.