Looks like the same article as here: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19388979" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19388979</a>
A: "The damaged part of the body is no longer able to do its job," Bleiberg explained. Without a nose, the statue-spirit ceases to breathe, so that the vandal is effectively "killing" it.