Large piece on plywood panels covering the base of a skyscraper. A stylized recreation of the blue lives matter flag (which usually represented support for the police), but instead of stars there are skulls and the thin blue line is going up in flames from the base creeping upwards.
Adika Bell, Christopher Paul Jordan, David Long, and Breyahna Monet
Title
Justice for Manny
Coverage
1012 S 11th St, Tacoma, WA, USA
Description
This mural depicts a portrait of Manuel Ellis, a Black man who is a victim of police brutality. He is painted in shades of blue, orange, green, brown, and yellow. Around Manny's head are circles, which are similar to halos. To the left of the portrait the message "Justice for Manny" is written in black letters in blue boxes.
Source
Manuel (Manny) Ellis was murdered by Tacoma Police on March 3, 2020. The police and sheriff's department insisted Manny died from drugs and a heart issue, but the medical examiner's report ruled it homicide by hypoxia due to physical restraint (e.g. the police strangled him to death). Witnesses videotaped the incident, observing that Manny was tasered, beaten, hogtied, held to the ground under an officer's knee, and had a spit hood put over his head. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General charged the officers on May 27, 2021. The officers posted bail the next day.
Rights
Instagram handles: Adika Bell @deeks253, Christopher Paul Jordan @cpauljordan, David Long @orangedaviid, and Breyahna Monet @breezekutz
38th Street and Chicago Ave, South Minneapolis, MN, USA
Description
An informational sticker was placed on a city pole. The sticker reads "Community Watch Area. Trust, respect, and communication are essential to healthy community; protect your friends and neighbors from unified gang members and other suspicious characters. Police Not Welcome." The sticker includes an circle with a slash through it over a picture of a police officer.
Painted on a plywood panel, this piece depicts a cop with the horns and forked tail of the devil, surrounded by the flames of hell. Text reads "El Diablo," and "Murder in the Name of Law." To the right of the figure, there is a quote that reads "Let the Black Man Breath. --Subconcious"
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From Artist's Instagram: "I painted this mural about the idea “to serve and protect.” I don’t often see police serving and protecting this community, but precisely the exact opposite. Furthermore, this mural has since already been painted over in all black. Why won’t the authorities and business owners let the community express themselves? Whatever happens, I hope these dark days pass and we can all live in a safe, united, and loving community. Ask questions, be empathetic, and understand, before casting judgement. Also, do your due diligence first before acting without information. Be safe."]]>2023-06-16T16:02:05-04:00
Creator
Kyle Lee
@artbykydotcom
Title
Police and Prisoners
Coverage
Girard Ave South and West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Description
A painting on a plywood panels shows four police officers who are holding batons. These batons become the bars confining nine prisoners in orange jumpsuits.
From Artist's Instagram: "I painted this mural about the idea “to serve and protect.” I don’t often see police serving and protecting this community, but precisely the exact opposite. Furthermore, this mural has since already been painted over in all black. Why won’t the authorities and business owners let the community express themselves? Whatever happens, I hope these dark days pass and we can all live in a safe, united, and loving community. Ask questions, be empathetic, and understand, before casting judgement. Also, do your due diligence first before acting without information. Be safe."
You Can Wash Away the Virus But You Can Never Wash Away the Shame | Labor Camp Report June 6, 2020 / 1,976,515
Coverage
Lake Street and West River Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Description
A black and white print with text reading "You can wash away the virus but you can never wash away the shame | Covid-19 Labor Camp Report June 6 ,2020 / 1,976,515." Imagery includes a close up of hand washing, a public, state-sanctioned lynching, and a white hand with a club. This references the dual pandemic of Covid-19 and systemic racism. There is additional graffiti and tagging on this wall. Tagging touches the bottom border of the print, indicating that the wall was tagged after the print was pasted up.
Labor Camp | Piotr Szyhalski;
Obe2Tall; unidentified graffiti writers
Title
Essential Work alongside anti-policing graffiti and Minnesota love poster
Coverage
705 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Description
A black-and-white poster by Labor Camp with four firsts, two black and two white, raised in protest and emerging from a bed of plants and flowers. Large text below reads "ESSENTIAL WORK" indicating the essential nature of protest and racial unity. Small text above reads "Covid-19 Labor Camp Report | May 31, 2020 | BLM." Multiple prints of this poster are adhered to plywood covering a storefront. There is also graffiti reading "ACAB," "Tuck Frump," and "fuck the police." Additionally, there is a small poster by OBE2TALL with hands making a heart, holding the state of Minnesota with a QR code. There is a small poster that reads "Winston Smith Was Assassinated."