Ole Miss statue vandalism suspect identified

Published 3:50 pm Sunday, May 31, 2020

The University of Mississippi officially identified the man who vandalized the confederate monument in the Circle on Saturday evening.

According to a statement from UM, Zachary Borenstein, 38, was arrested and charged with injuring, destroying or defacing certain cemetery property, public buildings, schools or churches, or property thereof, which is classified as a felony.

In the act of vandalizing the statue, the words “spiritual genocide” were spray-painted in black on every side of the statue, accompanied by blood red handprints. Borenstein was arrested on the scene by an officer with the University Police Department.

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Borenstein will be arraigned on Monday, June 1, by a Lafayette County Justice Court judge, where bond will be set.

Borenstein is a former student of the University, having recently graduated with a master of arts degree. He has also been identified as a geometry teacher at Simmons Junior-Senior High School in the Hollandale School District.