George Floyd mural vandalism cleaned up and restored
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- A shocking vandalism was reported early Thursday morning in Downtown Santa Barbara. Overnight someone spray-painted graffiti over the newly finished George Floyd mural.
George Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests and an outpouring of support for black Americans. In Downtown Santa Barbara, a mural created in his honor was vandalized barely two weeks after it was painted.
Matt Moore of Santa Barbara said, "It's very disrespectful." While Anne Crowe of Summerland added, "And I am appalled that people would take that kind of action."
Early Thursday morning the vandal spray-painted the words 'All Lives Matter' across the mural which reads "I can't breathe." Those were the words Floyd said as a Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes before his death. Artist Chad Green helped create the mural. He says he wasn't surprised but was disappointed at the lack of respect.
"You know the people that want to forget it, they forget it real easy," said Green. "But this is staying in their face, you know it's here. You can't, that's probably why it got spray painted on."
The graffiti was quickly cleaned up and the mural restored. Many came by to show support. some honking and giving a thumbs up. "Yeah dude. Thank you so much," yelled one driver passing by.
Others like Moore are looking for a silver lining. "One good thing about what happened today with them tagging up the all lives matter is we're exposing racism. And it's come out to light."
David Moore is the reverend at New Covenant Worship Center. He said the phrase 'all lives matter' is an ignorant response to the phrase 'black lives matter.'
"At worst it's saying that you don't care, you lack empathy," said Reverend Moore. "But even at best it says that you haven't been connected with people in your world in your orbit who would cause you to be sensitive to the glaring necessity to recognize that black lives matter."
Green left his signature on the restored mural. And said the city wanted the vandalism to be removed and the mural for now can stay.
