Vandals Force Portal Art Display to Move from Philadelphia’s Love Park

After just five months in Philadelphia, an innovative video art display needs to leave Love Park. Vandals cut through copper wires and damaged the screen, making it impossible to stay at its current spot.

"We want to set up in an environment where there's enough space for people to collaborate without worrying about frequent moves," said Joe Callahan, director of the Portals project, to 6ABC.

Officials will announce the new location for the Portal within ten days. The team is looking at three possible spots, including one indoor location to help protect against vandalism.

The screen connects Philadelphia with cities around the world through live video feeds. Since it opened in October 2024, people have talked with others in Lithuania, Poland, and Ireland.

The Portal display stopped working in February 2025. Security cameras caught people trying to steal copper wiring. In another incident, someone threw a rock at the screen.

Problems started before the public could even use it. CBSnews.com reported workers damaged the screen during setup by overtightening the mounting screws.

Similar displays are up and running in NYC, Dublin, Vilnius, and Lublin. When everything works right, they let people chat face-to-face across the world.

Philadelphia wasn't just randomly chosen. The city's upcoming World Cup games in 2026 and America's 250th birthday made it perfect for this cultural connection.

"I am 100% committed to keeping this Portal in Philadelphia," Callahan stated. Despite the problems, his team isn't giving up on the city.

The yearly Christmas Village also played a part in the move. It wasn't practical to keep relocating the screen for holiday events.

The challenge now is finding a spot that's both easy to reach and secure. The new location needs to welcome visitors while keeping troublemakers away.