A group of anonymous artists erected a 4ft tall bronze statue of Edward Snowden, the former US spy agency contractor famous for leaking classified information, in a New York City park overnight on 6 April.

The large moulded bust of Snowden, depicted wearing a collared shirt and his signature glasses, was placed atop a stone pillar that is part of an existing monument at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, as documented in a video released by animalnewyork.com

The name Snowden spelled out in bronze letters, was attached to an adjacent shorter pedestal on top of which sits a bronze bald eagle spreading its wings, a statue that has long made its home in the park.

The idea for the statue was conceived by two New York guerilla artists who worked with a West Coast sculptor to create the finished piece, reported Animal New York, a local news and culture blog, which was invited to witness the late-night installation.

The artists, whose names were not disclosed, said they sympathised with Snowden, the former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who leaked details of massive US intelligence-gathering programs and remains in hiding in Russia, and intended to pay tribute to him with the installation.

Our goal is to bring a renewed vitality to the space and prompt even more visitors to ponder the sacrifices made for their freedoms, they said in a statement published by the blog. We hope this inspires them to reflect upon the responsibility we all bear to ensure our liberties exist long into the future, they said.

By noon on 6 April, park officials had covered the statue with a blue tarp. Park spokeswoman Maeri Ferguson said park officials were determining what to do with the statue. Ferguson did not say whether park property had been damaged.

A few hours later, city workers arrived with a small truck and removed the Snowden bust without removing the blue tarp covering it.