ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Police are investigating after a Black Lives Matter mural in Ann Arbor was defaced for the second time in eight days.
Survivors Speak was behind the project and their founder says it brought her to tears. The spray paint has since been cleaned off
"I am a Black woman — this message is erasing who I am as a person," Survivors Speak founder Trische Duckworth said.
Duckworth orchestrated the painting of the mural in July of 2022. On May 4 of this year, someone painted "all" over the "Black Lives Matter" text.
Fast forward to Friday, the vandalism escalated. This time, the word "Black" was crossed out and replaced with "all."
"It just shows that people are very tolerable of racism, and we are tired of it," an emotional Duckworth said.
The murals were intentionally put in Wheeler Park, which was named after Albert Wheeler, the first and only Black mayor of Ann Arbor.
Councilwoman Cynthia Harrison says this neighborhood was also once predominantly Black. Harrison is also the first Black councilperson in 15 years.
"Most of those residents that were Black families are now gone," Harrison said. "So we have a gentrified neighborhood, gentrification that's happened, so that messaging creates harm."
Ann Arbor police say they have reports on both incidents. The report on the May 4 incident was made nearly a week later on May 10.
Police say they're investigating, but Duckworth says she felt brushed off and claims a city employee called the vandalism "simple graffiti."
7 Action News reached out to the city after operating hours and has not heard back.
"I am grateful that they came out and cleaned it up today, but I need them to clean up their approach and how they do things, how they respond to things," Duckworth said.
Harrison says she plans to bring up the issue in Monday's city council meeting.
"I think really first of all, it's important to talk about why this is hate messaging because it seems as if there's some confusion about that," Harrison said.
Duckworth says defacing the mural to say "all" Lives Matter is hurtful.
"What's hurtful about it is the intolerance to saying that Black lives matter," she said.
The Ann Arbor Police Department says they've increased patrols in the area and once the person or people responsible are found, they'll turn over their reports to the prosecutor's office for review.
Harrison and Duckworth plan to call for cameras in the park in Monday's city council meeting.
