Vandals destroyed the yarn bomb display at Passyunk Square’s Singing Fountain. Now, community members are knitting replacement art.

Cherubs donned colorful togas, a stork wore a Gritty sweater, and hand-crocheted flowers draped over the backs of benches at Passyunk Square’s Singing Fountain — then the vandals came.

The Drunken Knitwits, a collective of city knitters and crocheters, unveiled their latest yarn bombing project last month. After months of prep and hundreds of hours of labor among 15 group members, the club installed a colorful display of yarn florals, garland, and clothing to the empty fountain, bringing a pop of vibrancy to the mostly gray early-spring days in South Philly.

Allison Covey was part of the Drunken Knitwits’ chapter in Oxford, England, before taking a job at Villanova University and starting a Philadelphia branch of the international group. It’s one of three U.S. chapters, with other branches across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Spain. The local chapter meets weekly to craft and enjoy one another’s company. It’s the same group behind dressing the animal statues at Fitler Square over the holiday season.

The Knitwits’ latest surprise installation was mostly met with praise and joy. It was a sanctioned project, with knitters working with the Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corp.

The knitters also worked with preservation experts to make sure the work did not damage the fountain. In the past, the Singing Fountain has been decorated with other pop-up installations, including flower displays.

Instagrammers tagged the group and commented on their favorite elements; the three storks’ sports-themed sweaters — paying homage to the Flyers, the Phillies, and (fittingly) the Birds — were a big hit. The display was set to remain through the Flavors on the Avenue food festival on April 27.

But things took a turn for the worse over the weekend.

“Local business owners alerted us this morning to the total destruction of our Singing Fountain yarnbombing at 3 a.m. [Saturday] by two women who came with trash bags and scissors,” the group wrote on its Instagram page. “Video provided to the authorities shows the women cackling, snapping photos, and celebrating as they took every last bit of the installation and left with it all in bags.”

Covey told The Inquirer she was surprised to learn the vandalism was premeditated and performed by seemingly adult women armed with scissors and trash bags. She added that the group and authorities are still trying to identify the women and determine their motives.

The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed a theft incident report was filed Saturday about the yarn art. No arrests have been reported.

“Public art always comes with risk, of course, and not every mode of art suits every taste,” the Knitwits wrote on Instagram. “Regardless of how we feel about yarnbombing, this kind of gleeful destruction of public art is not something any of us should be willing to defend or tolerate in our community. Wear and tear, yes. Vandals coming at 3 a.m. to literally dance while destroying the art, no.”

On neighborhood Facebook groups and Reddit channels, the incident has locals wondering, “Why would someone do this?” and concluding: “This is why we can’t have nice things.”

Yarn bombing is generally considered a positive, temporary way for artists to express themselves without damaging property. In the social media threads discussing the theft, a handful of naysayers said the yarn can develop a smell over time because of its exposure to weather.

But supporters argued that the displays were approved by the Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corp. and had a deadline to be taken down.

Still, Covey says the knitting group was unfazed and refused to be discouraged.

“So many of you have insisted on helping that we’re inspired to press ahead with the Flavors on the Avenue installation as originally planned,” the group wrote in an Instagram post Sunday.

The Knitwits are asking locals to contribute to a new and improved display. The group is seeking food-themed knit or crocheted items to go with the festival theme. Donations so far have included knit and crocheted ice cream cones, a latte, and sunny-side-up eggs.

“There has been a great deal of support for replacing the artwork in time for Flavors on the Avenue,” Covey said. “We have been so impressed by the outpouring of support we have received from the crafting community and from Philadelphia in general.”

The group also has a plea for the vandals: Consider returning the art, or dropping off what’s left of it, no questions asked. Other organizers are less optimistic, saying security camera footage showed the pieces being cut apart, likely making them unsalvageable.

Ashley Haak of South Philly Yarn and Craft, who helped organize the yarn bomb, said security footage and the aftermath showed the vandals spending at least half an hour stripping the installation, leaving behind broken zip ties and bits of yarn.

“We certainly understand the risks of street art, of course, but we didn’t expect this type of malice,” South Philly Yarn and Craft posted on Instagram. “It’s upsetting to all of us who worked on it, but also the entire community who enjoyed it.”

Covey remains optimistic.

“Philly has such a rich history of supporting street art and artists and the city’s reaction to the theft is yet another testament to that,” she said. “The thieves may have stolen our artwork, but they have only managed to make the community stronger.”

Community members interested in helping may drop off knitted or crocheted food items to South Philly Yarn and Craft (1625 S. 11th St.) by 5 p.m. April 23. Volunteers are also invited to participate in a knit/crochet-in event at the Craftship inside the Bok Building on Monday at 6 p.m. Donations of clean, acrylic yarn are also being accepted, but organizers say the greatest need is for finished knitted or crocheted food items.