George Floyd Mural in Rochester Vandalized

On Friday (Aug.

21) the community is invited for a painting session to bring the mural back

Perfect union.// thank you for joining us for kimt news 3 at 10?

"* i'm katie lange.

And i'm george mallet.

New tonight at ten ?

"* the deah of george floyd has sparked an outpouring of emotion.

Case in point an artist teamed up with mayor kim norton and the rochester community to create a tribute to floyd in the form of a mural at soldiers field park.

Now, though, that mural has been vandalized.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco joins us live to give us the latest.

Katie and george ?

"* as you can see here ?

"* this mural got defaced ?

"* on monday night.

Te artist tells me how she's coping ?

"* and how she wants te community to come together.

Artist willow gentile created this mural with the rochester community to spark unity during a time of divisiveness.

Her heart dropped when she saw it vandalized.

"it's so heartwrenchin g to see all your hard work ?

"* you put in*- you got a whole group together ?

"* we were so excited ?

"* an there's all this positivity ?

*- to have that ?

"* is really like a slap in the face."

For gentile the vandalism emphasizes how divided the world is.

"even just a piece of art work that is just about joy is for some reason ?

"* conflicting for people ?

"* and they feel like ?

"* they can't have that."

That's why gentile is bringing people together for another community painting session ?

"* to end on a high note.

"we need so many more positives to combat that negative ?

"* i hope people realize you really need to stick together mayor kim norton and gentile both tell me ?

"* as far as they know ?

"* there won't be an investigation into the vandalism.

Norton says she's sad someone would do this ?

"* but wants this effort to end on a positive note.

Live in rochester ib kimt news 3.

Thank you isabella.

This friday ?

"* the community is invited for a painting session to bring the