A mural painted to honor late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis was defaced last week in Brooklyn.
Police and the owner of the Greenpoint Glass, a two-way mirror at a home near Norman Avenue and Lorimer Street that has become somewhat of a landmark, say the painting was Lewis was vandalized the night of Aug. 13.
The mural was painted earlier in the week by a local 16-year-old artist, according to homeowner Molly Graeve. It depicted the image of Lewis with Black Lives Matter signs in the back, as well as the title RIP John Lewis 1940-2020. It's meant to honor the memory of Lewis who died at 80 last month after a battle with pancretic cancer.
Graeve said she called the police to report the vandalism. The officers who first arrived said it was a criminal misdemeanor but needed clarification for a hate crime. A lieutenant was later called to the scene, Graeve said, and he refused to file a police report or acknowledge a criminal act had occurred.
An NYPD spokesperson on Sunday said the criminal mischief was reported Saturday and no description of a suspect is available. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Sadie, the young artist who painted the mural of Lewis and a mural of Breonna Taylor before that, returned over the weekend to restore the painting.
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"Her talent and passion for this project is inspiring. Thank you to everyone who reached out with help and concern," Greenpoint Glass wrote on Instagram.
