RICHMOND, Va. — A statue of pioneering African American tennis star Arthur Ashe has been vandalized in Richmond.
Photos show the base of the monument tagged with white spray paint and the words “white lives matter” as well as the initials “WLM.” Those initials were later painted over with “BLM,” short for black lives matter.
Richmond Police said they were alerted to the vandalism on Monument Avenue about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. Police say red paint on the statue itself was already being removed by community members.
Video shows two people scrubbing off the White Lives Matter, which was spray painted on the statue’s pillar, graffiti before a car pulls up in front of the memorial. A man is seen getting out the car and opening his trunk to get out a wet rag. He begins to wipe the “BLM” graffiti.
8News’ Alex Thorson reported that Ashe’s nephew, David Harris, walked up during the confrontation and attempted to de-escalate the situation.
Authorities have information on possible suspects and are asking the community to call the Crime Stoppers line if they have information on who was responsible for the vandalism.
The monument was dedicated in 1996 to memorialize the Richmond native, who died in 1993, and to counterbalance the string of statues on Memorial Avenue dedicated to Confederate leaders.