A towering middle-finger sculpture appeared Monday afternoon directly in front of New York City Hall, installed by Staten Island artist and activist Scott LoBaido as a pointed critique of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Video footage shared widely on X showed the piece facing City Hall, drawing immediate crowds.
3….. 2…. 1….. pic.twitter.com/HO0EFrROKU
— Scott LoBaido (@ScottLoBaido) May 18, 2026
Video footage shared on X by multiple individuals, with licensing credited to Freedomnews.tv, shows the statue positioned directly facing City Hall, drawing crowds and immediate attention on social media.
LoBaido, known for patriotic paintings and sculptures as well as public protests, placed the work around 3:40 p.m. ET. It remained in place into the evening with no immediate removal by authorities.
LoBaido has a documented history of using art and direct action against city policies. He previously protested congestion pricing by mounting a vehicle and displaying a large middle-finger sign to cameras at Columbus Circle, leading to his arrest in January 2025, per SILive. He has also thrown pizzas over the gates of City Hall to oppose restrictions on coal- and wood-fired ovens, Fox News reported.
Background on the Artist and the Installation
Scott LoBaido, born April 6, 1965, in Staten Island, New York, is recognized for flag-themed paintings and politically charged works. He describes himself as a “Freedom Fighter” and has created pieces targeting previous city officials, including former Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Manhattan district attorney.
Public records and news reports indicate LoBaido funds and installs many of his protest works independently or with limited private support, consistent with his past solo actions. No public funding or large organizational backing has been reported for the middle finger statue, per SILive.
The sculpture represents LoBaido’s expression of frustration with Mamdani’s leadership. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, took office as mayor on January 1, 2026, becoming the city’s youngest mayor in more than a century. Critics have highlighted his progressive policies on issues including public safety, housing, and taxation as drivers of resident discontent.
The Mayor and Prior Controversy
Mamdani’s administration has faced multiple challenges in its first months, including criticism of an executive order limiting cooperation with ICE, which drew condemnation from the Department of Homeland Security, and sanitation delays that left trash piling up across the city following winter storms, as The Dallas Express reported at the time.
There was also scrutiny related to documents linking his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, to Jeffrey Epstein files.
Additionally, The Dallas Express reported on Mamdani’s proposed $127 billion budget, which included warnings of a potential 9.5% property tax hike, a federal judge blocking his attempt to intervene in the sale of rent-stabilized apartments, and questions about his wife’s past social media activity.
Mamdani also drew earlier criticism for a 2020 social media post in which he gave the middle finger to a Christopher Columbus statue in Astoria, Queens, and wrote “Take it down,” Fox News reported. The resurfaced image sparked backlash from Italian-American groups during his mayoral campaign, per the New York Post. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams had moved to landmark certain Columbus statues, in part, in response to Mamdani’s past statements.
Future of the Statue
As of publication, City Hall had not issued an official statement on the statue or indicated plans for removal. Questions remain about whether the installation will be permitted to remain under public space and permitting rules.
