New York, April 7
A bust of Edward Snowden was secretly placed at a monument to the Revolutionary War fallen in New York by a group of artists who wanted to pay tribute to the former National Security Agency analyst.

The \"museum-quality\" sculpture, placed on top of a column some eight feet high, was covered with a tarpaulin shortly after being found by municipal employees on Monday morning, according to videotape released by several local media outlets.

The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument is located in Fort Green Park in Brooklyn and pays tribute to thousands of US Revolutionary War prisoners who died at the hands of the British during the conflict.

The artists, who spoke to news website Mashable on condition that their identities would not be revealed, said that they chose the site because Snowden\'s actions -- leaking thousands of secret NSA documents -- were in keeping with the ideals defended by the 11,000 American troops who died aboard British prison ships during the war for US independence.

They said they chose the park to set up the bust because it is \"loaded with significance and meaning and reverence of others\". Their act positions Snowden, they said, \"as a continuation of a story that began at the beginning of this country\" and represented by the suffering and fate of the captured Americans.

\"We feel that Snowden\'s actions really continue that story,\" said the artists. \"It is built upon a set of ideals to live freely, not be confined or surveilled or monitored by your government. You can\'t have freedom of expression to pursue liberty if you feel like you\'re doing it under a watchful eye.\"

The unidentified artists said they hoped that the authorities would allow the bust to remain where they placed it, although they acknowledged that that probably would not occur.

A spokesperson for the New York Parks Department told local media that park personnel and police removed the sculpture, saying that \"the erection of any unapproved structure or artwork in a city park is illegal\" and referring further questions to the police.

Bust of Snowden secretly placed at New York monument