STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — A woman has been charged with damaging Penn State's iconic lion statue in May.
Julia Cipparulo, 23, of Hillsborough, N.J. has been charged with felony counts of institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, and other charges of theft, according University police documents.
Cipparulo was allegedly spotted on surveillance cameras moving around and hiding in bushes around 4:50 a.m., on May 8. She allegedly was seen damaging Hintz Alumni Center as well, by painting "FTG" on the building, which represents "For the Glory," according to reports.
This is not Cipparulo's first incident with campus police. According to police, she painted the Lion Shrine with teal paint and used permanent markers to deface Old Main and the Alumni Center in June of 2021.
She was also allegedly involved in stealing the ear off the lion statue in May.
Police said that the recovery of the ear would mitigate the costs associated with repairing the statue, which allegedly promoted Cipparulo to lead police to the location of the ear.
The damage Cipparulo allegedly committed in 2021 exceeded $20,000.
Police stated that Cipparulo painted the names "Osaze, Tim, Ashley, Justine" on the walkway around the lion shrine. They said that the names are meant to represent students in have allegedly died in the State College area recently.
Court documents stated that Cipparulo told police that she had been assaulted while at Penn State University. To express her frustration with the Alumni Association and University Administration, she allegedly committed the vandalism.
Cipparulo said she was traumatized and felt disgraced because she used to give tours to prospective students at the campus. According to police, she felt she had tricked people to come to the university by telling them they'd be safe and happy.
She calls the damage her "peaceful protest" according to the affidavit.
"The back of the lion is red, because to the front it looks like everything is ok," Cipparulo continued in the affidavit. "Just like Penn State. Everything is ok. From the back, it’s all bloody and broken."
"The names spray painted on the ground. No one seems to think about them anymore. The ear, it’s because people are finally going to notice. It’s not hiding anymore. It’s bloody and broken. The other ear has been broken and glued on.”
According to police, the total cost for restoration, maintenance and repair was $26,029.
Cipparulo is scheduled for arraignment on Monday in Centre County Court.
