PROTESTERS have altered a ‘Defund the Police’ mural outside of Milwaukee City Hall by painting over one letter, turning the slogan into ‘DEFEND the Police.’
The original mural had been painted by over 30 activists on Wednesday, in what has become a nationwide movement to shift funds from police departments towards schools and youth programs.
However, just two days later, counter-protesters tampered with the painting, swapping the ‘U’ in ‘Defund’ to an ‘E’ – spelling out ‘Defend the Police.’
The change was carried out by an anonymous group, but their work was short-lived – as by the end of Friday the ‘U’ had returned, to give the mural back its initial meaning.
The adjustment of the original phrase came after former Alderman Robert Donovan, who sat on Milwaukee Common Council, was seen to openly criticize the mural on social media.
Donovan posted a picture of the mural on Wednesday night, crossed out with a blue line, with the caption “Fixed it for you, folks!”
The “thin blue line” is a term for the police, used to mean that they are the line which keeps society from descending into chaos.
During his 20 years on Milwaukee’s Common Council, Donovan pushed for an increase in police funding.
The ‘Defund the Police’ movement has gathered momentum across the US following the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Floyd’s death has had ramifications across the world – causing protests against police brutality and racial injustice.
Jeremy Wilbur, who was part of the group who painted the initial mural, said: “People keep asking us, what does defund mean? It doesn’t mean abolish.
“Let’s make this clear for them, we don’t hate cops,” he said in a Facebook Live video.
“Some people don’t understand what defund the police means,” said another protester, Brandon Wilborn.
“It means to just like not get rid of the police, but take some of the money they’re getting and putting it into the schools and housing and other places that it’s needed.”
In Milwaukee, the Common Council are looking at the likely implications of a possible 10% cut to the Police Department’s budget.
