The man accused of vandalizing a Black Lives Matter mural in Hartford, Connecticut, appeared before a judge on Thursday.
According to NBCCT, 36-year-old Scott Walker drew a swastika and other hate symbols across the mural down Trinity Street. After releasing surveillance that caught Walker in the act, police were able to apprehend Walker, who is now being held on a $150,000 bond.
Black residents of Hartford were saddened to see the tribute defaced with hate speech after having it as a beacon of pride for the last three years. “A lot of us were just heartbroken because, the community, we work together so much to try and make something positive,” Lashawn Robinson-Nuhu, who worked on the mural in 2020, said. According to NBCCT, Walker drew the numbers 88 and 14, commonly known as white supremacy codes, over the words in addition to the Nazi reference.
Dr. Robert Sanders, attorney and lecturer at the University of New Haven, said actions like Walker’s are why the rallying call has become a significant part of the modern-day civil rights movement. “We can’t have a nation going forward in that manner. The movement, not a moment, is to continue to oppose people who espouse that,” he said. Artists and community members have since replaced the hate speech with a heart, something Mayor Luke Bronin says is indicative of the true spirit of Hartford. “It was a vile act of hate. It was an act intended to sow fear and division. But we’re not going to be divided or made afraid,” he said. “Our Hartford, Connecticut community is united, diverse, loving, and strong.”
Bronin’s sentiments were echoed by Connecticut’s Gov. Ned Lamont, according to CT Insider. “These do not represent Connecticut values, and all of us as a community need to take a strong stance to denounce any messages advocating hate and white supremacy,” he said. “We will not be threatened by the messages of anonymous people who attempt to divide us and instill fear. I appreciate the work by the Hartford Police to investigate this crime.”