Black Lives Matter mural in Ypsilanti vandalized over weekend

Black Lives Matter mural in Ypsilanti defaced

The words "Black" and "Lives" were covered with white paint this weekend where a BLM mural at Riverside Park had been designed and added to the pavement leading to the park.

YPSILANTI, Mich. - A Black Lives Matter mural was defaced this weekend after vandals covered some of the letters in white paint.

The mural, which is located on the pavement leading to Riverside Park in Ypsilanti, was completed in early June after approval from the city council to paint it in the city last February.

However, sometime in the last two days, members of a white supremacist group splashed white paint over the words "Black" and "Lives" while leaving the word "Matter" untouched.

"This was a community project that the community worked tirelessly to complete," read an email from Trische Duckworth, a co-lead behind the project.

The city manager also released a statement, saying the city was "sickened by this horrible act of destruction."

"This is a timely reminder of all the work that remains to be done but our community will not be divided. We will overcome this and rally together to restore the mural," said Frances McMullan in a statement. "Most importantly, we will continue the important work of restoring historically marginalized communities of color. I have been moved by the outpouring of support from members of our community who want to donate their time, energy, and resources into restoring the mural."

Frances also said law enforcement was investigating the matter.

Murals expressing support for BLM have been painted in cities around the country, including in Michigan. However, some have also been the subject of vandalism while public support for the group has led to heightened tensions in neighborhoods during a politically tumultuous couple of years for the country.

Some of that behavior appears to have trickled into Ypsilanti.

"To whoever did this last night: you're a real piece of human garbage," read a post on a community forum for the city.

Officials suspect the group Patriot Front, a coalition of white supremacists, is behind the vandalism.

The city council plans to address the issue during its next meeting Tuesday while cleanup efforts are already underway.