Black Lives Matter street mural outside Trump Tower vandalised three times in a week

Two women from Staten Island, aged 39 and 29 were arrested after they were seen pouring paint on the Black Lives Matter street mural in front of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan , a New York Police Department spokesperson told CNN. This was a third such incident in a week. According to the NYPD, the two women were charged with criminal mischief and were later released with desk appearance tickets. Many “Black Lives Matter” murals have been painted across the city in wake of the protests following the custodial death of African American George Floyd. 

The mural was first vandalised on Monday when red paint was dropped over the ‘v’ in ‘Lives’ by an unnamed suspect. According to the NYPD, the second incident happened on Friday, when a surveillance video captured three individuals smear paint on the mural while another individual was spreading flyers.

Police arrested two women, ages 25 and 39, and a 44-year-old man, all from New York City, who were then charged with criminal mischief and released with desk appearance tickets while a 64-year-old woman was issued a criminal court summons for illegally posting flyers. The content of the flyers has not been disclosed.

The mural was painted on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower earlier this month.  New York Mayor Bill de Blasio received criticism from US President Donald Trump for commissioning the mural. Trump had previously called the words “Black Lives Matter” a “symbol of hate”.