Martinez residents charged with hate crime in painting over Black Lives Matter mural
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Two Martinez residents — one of whom called racism a
lie — face hate crime and other charges in connection with the painting
over of a Black Lives Matter mural, an act that was caught on video.
The
Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office on Tuesday filed
misdemeanor charges against Nicole Anderson, 42, and David Nelson, 53,
both of Martinez. Each faces charges of violating another person’s civil
rights, vandalism, and posession of tools to commit vandalism. If
convicted, each could face up to a year in county jail.
“We must address the root and byproduct of systemic
racism in our country,” Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana
Becton said. “The Black Lives Matter movement is an important civil
rights cause that deserves all of our attention. The mural completed
last weekend was a peaceful and powerful way to communicate the
importance of Black lives in Contra Costa County and the country.”
The
pair were captured on a now-viral video where the woman, later
identified as Anderson, dumped a bucket of black paint and began to roll
over freshly-painted yellow block letters spelling out Black Lives
Matter in front of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse on July 4. A man,
identified as Nelson, said on camera that racism is “a lie” and that
“all lives matter.” Both people appear to be white.
Kerry Leidich witnessed and recorded the incident in a video shared by police. He told The Chronicle
he had been on the street to admire the mural with his son and
girlfriend. He said he was shocked and his girlfriend, who is Black, was
traumatized by the incident.
Mayor
Rob Schroder released a statement Tuesday explaining that the city
approved the mural as a show of support after police discovered fliers
with hate speech threatening Black Lives Matter supporters in the name
of an organization “White Pride World Wide” near downtown on June 27.
“Martinez
does not tolerate hate-related crimes and as a community, we need to
stand together to promote unity and acceptance of all people,” Schroder
said in an earlier statement. “This hateful, hurtful, and offensive act
does not and will never define our City.”
Schroder
said a community group called Martizians for Black Lives asked the city
to expedite a permit to paint the temporary Black Lives Matter mural
outside the courthouse in response to the fliers.
“Approval
of the use of our streets sends a message to all that African Americans
and other people of color are equal members of our community and
hateful rhetoric will be actively rejected by our City,” Schroder said.
But
in less than a week, the Black Lives Matter mural was painted over and
someone brandished a firearm at the mural site in a separate incident,
Schroder said. He said it’s “his sincere hope that our community’s
expression of support for some members of our community does not
unnecessarily stir up anger in others” and that the city is considering
permanent murals.
On
Tuesday, Martinez police were searching for a person who illegally
painted “White Lives Matter” in white letters just a couple miles away
from the downtown “Black Lives Matter” mural. Police also detained a
person who was found painting over the illegally painted “White Lives
Matter” sign.
Just
before noon on Tuesday, officers said, they responded to a report of
the lettering and caught a woman covering it up with black paint. She
was detained at the scene, but because she had a child with her, was
released after police identified her. Martinez police sent her case to
the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office for review.
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