Overtown Mural Vandalized with Hate Graffiti; Community Demands Answers

Vandalism at Dorsey Park

• 💔 A mural honoring African American history at Dorsey Park in Miami's Overtown neighborhood was defaced with hate and racist graffiti.
• 🎨 The vandalism, discovered on Sunday, included spray-painted messages and two swastikas on an image of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
• 💡 The park itself has historical significance, named after Miami's first black millionaire and formerly home to the city's Negro League baseball team.

Community Reaction and Outrage

• 🗣️ Community organizers and residents gathered to express shock and outrage over the hate crime.
• 😥 Organizers described the graffiti not just as paint on a wall, but as a manifestation of pain, hate, and disgrace.
• 🧒 A 7-year-old boy, Jaden Floyd, was the first to spot the defacement while walking with his mother and asked about its meaning.

Call for Accountability and Restoration

• 🔍 Residents and business owners are urging the individual responsible to come forward and explain their actions.
• 🤝 The Overtown Business Association has secured resources for the removal of the spray paint and restoration of the mural.
• 🚧 Restoration work is pending the end of current rainfall.

Police Investigation

• 🚓 Miami police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
• 📣 Authorities are asking anyone with information about the perpetrator to contact Miami PD.