July 7, 2020 | 8:01pm
A California duo was charged with a hate crime for defacing a newly painted Black Lives Matter mural outside of a courthouse, officials announced Tuesday.
Nichole Anderson, 42, was filmed using a roller to cover part of the yellow letters with black paint on Saturday as her cohort, 53-year-old David Nelson, stood guard near the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s said.
As Anderson painted within the lines, allowing the letters “B” and “L” to remain visible, Nelson told onlookers: “we’re sick of this narrative.”
“The narrative of police brutality, the narrative of oppression, the narrative of racism,” Nelson declared. “It’s a lie.”
“I said no one wants Black Lives Matter here!” he added. “That’s what I said. All Lives Matter, you punk.”
The temporary mural, which a Martinez resident received a permit for, was completed the same day the alleged vandals struck, authorities said.
“The mural completed last weekend was a peaceful and powerful way to communicate the importance of Black lives in Contra Costa County and the country,” Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement.
“We must continue to elevate discussions and actually listen to one another in an effort to heal our community and country.”
Anderson and Nelson were charged with vandalism, violation of civil rights and possession of tools to commit vandalism of graffiti.
