Breonna Taylor's sculpture, installed at Oakland, California, to honour her memory was smashed on Monday. The police are investigating the event. The sculpture was smashed at several places. The sculpture, which was installed on December 12, appeared to be vandalised on December 26.
Creator of the sculpture Leo Carson told Reuters, “I built it to support the Black Lives Matter movement.” “But that also makes it a target for racist aggression,” he added. Carson also said the vandalism was “an act of racist aggression.”
Carson, on his Instagram account, put up an image of the vandalised sculpture with a message that read, “The statue of Breonna Taylor has been vandalized in an act of racist aggression. In an incredible show of solidarity, the community has raised enough money to rebuild her in bronze. An effort that took less than 24 hours. Will not be intimidated. We are many and they are few! #sayhername #breonnataylor #oakland #sculpture #streetart #publicart #blacklivesmatter.”
The plaque under the installation reads, “Say her name: Breonna Taylor.”
The vandalism drew widespread condemnation among the community. Taylor, an African-American was killed in a police raid gone wrong at her apartment in Louiseville, Kentucky on March 13. The Oakland police said that they hadn't identified any suspects or a motive behind the vandalism.
Carson said that when he chronicled installation of the sculpture on Instagram, a user wrote, “Pull that down; it’s a source of riots”.
“In that sense, it’s not surprising, but it doesn’t reflect Oakland,” Carson said.
