Man Shatters Glass Enclosing Liberty Bell

A man hurled a block of granite Friday at a glass pavilion housing the Liberty Bell, shattering the glass on one side of the enclosure but not damaging the historic bell, authorities said.

Sandy Little, a spokeswoman for Independence National Historical Park, which administers the Liberty Bell, nearby Independence Hall and other historic sites, said the glass on the Market Street side was shattered by the granite block. The blocks, which are about the size of standard bricks, were commonly used to construct streets in the 18th and 19th centuries, she said.

Little said authorities have a description of the man who threw the block and were searching for him. He could be charged with damaging federal property.

The pavilion was erected in 1976, in time for the nation’s Bicentennial. At that time the Liberty Bell was moved from Independence Hall to the glass enclosure.