Police are asking the public for information after a “Black Lives Matter” pavement mural in a suburb of Chicago was vandalized.
The mural was defaced overnight into Wednesday to say “All Lives Matter,” a local Fox affiliate reported.
Oak Park police said in a statement Wednesday officials expressed “sadness and disappointed” after the mural was defaced. They also said that police have gathered evidence officers “hope will help identify the vandals” and are urging members of the public to contact police with any information.
The idea for the mural came from Cullen Benson, an Oak Park and River Forest High School graduate, and it was designed and painted by local volunteers under the guidance of the Oak Park Area Arts Council, police said.
The village is working with the arts council and the artist to determine what additional work will be needed to restore the mural to its original condition, according to police.
Kasani Cannon, one of the mural artists, told FOX 32 the message behind the mural is still clear.
“The movement lives within us. You can paint over it, you can drive over it, but once this mural dries, our movement still goes on,” Cannon said.
Cannon also said artists weren’t surprised to see the mural vandalized.
“It’s unfortunate, but I think it’s good we get to see in my opinion the true colors of Oak Park,” Cannon told Fox.
“Not shocking at all to see there are people who thought they were entitled enough to paint over what we’ve done here,” Zaria Gilmore, another mural artist, told the outlet.