Within a mere 24 hours of its completion, the Huntington Pride mural in West Virginia faced vandalism as a driver deliberately left tire marks across its freshly painted surface.
The Huntington Pride mural featured not only rainbow sidewalks but also showcased a prominent gemstone in the center of the road in solidarity with Pride Month.
One of the painters, Sassa Wilkes, claimed the response from citizens was overwhelmingly positive and stated the painting was so beautiful that it brought him to tears.
He added, “This says to our community that we are welcome here. I think that’s the most important thing about it. We are not always given the impression that we’re welcome in a lot of places, and this is a huge beacon, a symbol, that we’re welcome here, and it stands for everybody.”
However, not all citizens agreed with the giant Pride mural, and just over 24 hours after the painting was finished, multiple tire marks covered the gemstone.
Wilkes stated that while the damage wasn’t permanent, he perceives the marks left on the mural as emblematic of bullying.
Moreover, the Pride mural is now under 24-hour surveillance, and according to residents, the city has installed cameras around the rainbow painting to bolster its security.
Numerous individuals are highlighting that their hard-earned tax dollars are being allocated towards this surveillance, denouncing it as an unnecessary expenditure of time and resources.
Teens face up to ten years in prison over skid marks on Pride road
The trend of leaving skid marks on rainbow roads has surged this month following an incident where three teens left marks from their E-scooters on a Pride crosswalk just last week.
The three teenagers were arrested and could face up to ten years in prison for first-degree malicious mischief, with prosecutors demanding a $15,000 bond to cover the cost of repainting the street.
