SEATTLE — A large section of the Black Lives Matter street mural near Cal Anderson Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood was defaced in what community members are calling a devastating act of vandalism.

The mural’s distinctive letters, faces of Black figures, were spattered with white paint and a symbolic Black power fist was marked with a red “X,” artists discovered Thursday morning. KING 5 also found two typed notes containing hate-filled language, specifically targeting the Black community, were taped to traffic barriers at both ends of the mural.

“That’s terrible, that’s truly heartbreaking,” said Takiyah Ward, co-founder of the Vivid Matter Collective, the artist group responsible for the mural. “In the five years that we’ve been maintaining this mural, nothing has happened to this extent.”

Ward was one of 16 artists who painted the 250-foot-long Black Lives Matter mural during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest in 2020, following the killing of George Floyd.

“Speak truth to the power,” Ward said, recalling the mural’s origins. “We saw what was going on in our city, and we felt people here—and around the world—needed a reminder of why they were there. So, we chose to create that mural.”

On Thursday, Ward said it appeared the vandalism likely occurred within the past three to four days.

“I could say I’m pissed off. I can say I’m angry. I could say I’m hurt. But the reality of the situation is that it is much bigger than that. I don’t think those things can really hold,” Ward said.

Nearby residents expressed shock and disappointment. “Man, that sucks… That sucks,” said Mike Garrett, who lives next to the mural. Despite the setback, Garrett said the artwork’s message still resonates. “I walk past it every day. It’s a constant reminder that we do have a presence, we do have people who believe in us, and it’s a constant reminder to keep on pushing.”

Ward urged anyone with information about the act of vandalism to come forward: “If you’re there, it’s yours. Respect it, protect it. If you’ve seen anything, please let us know because we’d like to put an end to destruction.”

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell responded Thursday afternoon with a statement condemning the vandalism.

“The defacing of the Black Lives Matter mural is disturbing and deeply disrespectful to our Black community, to the artists who created it, and to the message it represents,” Mayor Harrell said. “Last week, our Office of Arts & Culture and Department of Transportation (SDOT) were notified of the initial damage, and after coordinating with the artists to plan repairs, additional vandalism was discovered today. SDOT is working closely with the Vivid Matter Collective to restore the mural as quickly as possible. This mural is more than paint on pavement, it’s a statement of pride, resilience, and belonging and we remain firmly committed to protecting and uplifting this mural and other public art across Seattle.”

The Vivid Matter Collective and the city are working together to repair and restore the mural as the investigation continues.