LINCOLN CENTER — Obscenities were found spray-painted on paintings, sculptures and office furniture at the Metropolitan Opera Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The vandalism was discovered between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. in the Met's adminstrative offices, where the curse words were discovered along with random scrawls on pictures, clocks and desks, police and a spokeswoman for the opera said.
It was not clear what exactly was written, but "[t]here was little or no permanent damage," the Met said in a statement.
Spray paint was also found near the bandshell at adjacent Damrosch Park, a spokeswoman and police said.
The vandalism occurred amid contentious labor negotiations with employees, as well as the Met's decision not to simulcast a production deemed by some to be anti-Semitic. It was not clear whether the incident was connected.
Police were not investigating the incident as a hate crime, the NYPD said.