There is outrage after vandals attacked a mural of George Floyd, which has become a fixture in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. Vandals threw paint on the image of Floyd, even leaving the lid of their paint can on the ground. Riverwest residents are outraged by the vandalism attack on a neighborhood landmark.”I don’t know why they would do something like that. It doesn’t make sense to me,” mural admirer Frank Lawrence said.Artists from across the community worked together to create the mural in June 2020, just weeks after Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.Dom Whitehurst was one of the original artists and organizers on the mural project.”What was your first thought?” WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott asked.”Initially, I was like, that’s horrible. More than likely, race related,” Whitehurst said. “I don’t know. Maybe we have to come over here and keep watch. It’s kind of sad that you have to do that for something so beautiful. This is supposed to be a peaceful representation of the community coming together.””Beautiful , beautiful artifact from Milwaukee history, yes,” mural admirer Lowend Mo said.After word of the vandalism began to spread, some area residents stopped Tuesday to see the damage.”I’m kind of disturbed by that. It’s kind of unfortunate, ” mural admirer Luz Rangel said.”This has to stop. This is beyond disrespectful,” Mo said.Whitehurst told WISN 12 News the other artists who worked on the mural are already making plans to repair the damage. “What happens next?” Wainscott asked Whitehurst. “We’re going to redo that. Repaint it, like we painted it two years ago,” he said. A business on the far corner with a camera wasn’t close enough to catch any vandals in the act, but the artist is going to ask the owner of the building to install cameras.Milwaukee police found about the vandalism after WISN 12 News contacted them Tuesday. If anyone knows anything about who did this, please call them.
MILWAUKEE —
There is outrage after vandals attacked a mural of George Floyd, which has become a fixture in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood.
Vandals threw paint on the image of Floyd, even leaving the lid of their paint can on the ground.
Riverwest residents are outraged by the vandalism attack on a neighborhood landmark.
“I don’t know why they would do something like that. It doesn’t make sense to me,” mural admirer Frank Lawrence said.
Artists from across the community worked together to create the mural in June 2020, just weeks after Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.
Dom Whitehurst was one of the original artists and organizers on the mural project.
“What was your first thought?” WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott asked.
“Initially, I was like, that’s horrible. More than likely, race related,” Whitehurst said. “I don’t know. Maybe we have to come over here and keep watch. It’s kind of sad that you have to do that for something so beautiful. This is supposed to be a peaceful representation of the community coming together.”
“Beautiful, beautiful artifact from Milwaukee history, yes,” mural admirer Lowend Mo said.
After word of the vandalism began to spread, some area residents stopped Tuesday to see the damage.
“I’m kind of disturbed by that. It’s kind of unfortunate,” mural admirer Luz Rangel said.
“This has to stop. This is beyond disrespectful,” Mo said.
Whitehurst told WISN 12 News the other artists who worked on the mural are already making plans to repair the damage.
“What happens next?” Wainscott asked Whitehurst.
“We’re going to redo that. Repaint it, like we painted it two years ago,” he said.
A business on the far corner with a camera wasn’t close enough to catch any vandals in the act, but the artist is going to ask the owner of the building to install cameras.
Milwaukee police found about the vandalism after WISN 12 News contacted them Tuesday.
If anyone knows anything about who did this, please call them.
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