Arrest Made After Fox News' 50-Foot Christmas Tree Is Set Ablaze in NYC
It’s beginning to look a lot like arson after a Fox News Christmas tree in Manhattan went up like a torch.
The holiday display, at Sixth Avenue and 48th Street in the center of midtown Manhattan, caught fire early Wednesday, according to Fox News.
Just after midnight, security guards at the New York City headquarters of Fox News noticed a decoration not in keeping with the red, white and blue All-American motif, as a man started climbing the 50-foot-tall “tree,” which is actually an artificial creation on a metal frame shaped like a tree.
According to WABC, after the man climbed the structure, he lit papers he brought with him on fire and pushed them into the frame.
Police responded to arrest the man as firefighters extinguished the flames.
?#BREAKING: Fox News Christmas tree has caught fire outside their HQ on the Avenue of the Americas
? #Manhattan l #Newyork
Shannon Bream announces on Fox News Night that Fox News’s Christmas tree has caught fire outside their HQ on the Avenue of the Americas. pic.twitter.com/FURa4Vo20W
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 8, 2021
Craig Tamanaha, 49, was arrested, according to WABC-TV. Police listed him as homeless, with a last known address in Brooklyn.
Tamanaha is charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, arson, criminal nuisance, endangering others, criminal trespass, criminal tampering and disorderly conduct.
Tamanaha has been arrested in the past for drug possession and public intoxication, WABC reported.
Police said they believe Tamanaha, who had a lighter in his possession when arrested, acted alone. Officials said they were unsure if an accelerant was used.
In addition to the All-American tree, three other trees in the display were damaged, according to the New York Post.
The incident left Twitter buzzing.
I don’t want to hear anything about how radical some of you believe republicans to be when there are lunatics running around New York City setting Fox News Christmas tree on fire.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 8, 2021
Christmas Tree outside Fox News building on fire probably set by Chris Cuomo pic.twitter.com/spOMFOqTJM
— john (@johnhackerla) December 8, 2021
Large Christmas tree at Fox News in Manhattan was set ablaze last night by an arsonist. NYT spin? It “caught fire”.
— boustrophedonicOne (@boustro24) December 8, 2021
The tree had been decorated with 10,000 glass ornaments and 100,000 lights.
Live from Fox News their “All-American” Christmas tree in Manhattan pic.twitter.com/mZIrTlDJlM
— ayla (@aylansmith) December 8, 2021
According to Fox, the structure took workers almost 21 hours to put up. The company said the tree display will be rebuilt.
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