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Two Trump supporters face hate crime charges after they painted over city-approved BLM mural in California

The mural had been commissioned by the city of Martinez, California, to be painted in front of the courthouse to recognize the fight against racial injustice and police brutality

Two Trump supporters have been charged with a hate crime after they painted over a Black Lives Matter mural on the road. Following nationwide protests for the Black Lives Matter movement, the mural had been commissioned by the city of Martinez, California, to be painted in front of the courthouse to recognize the fight against racial injustice and police brutality. The mural was completed on Saturday, July 4, after residents of Martinez obtained a permit from the city to do so. Later that day, Trump supporters David Nelson and Nicole Anderson allegedly defaced the mural by pouring black paint over the letters and covering the words.

Footage from the scene was widely shared online and resulted in charges against those responsible for the crime.

Anderson, 42, and Nelson, 53, were charged with three misdemeanor counts each after "defendant Anderson covered up a Black Lives Matter mural with black paint", according to a statement released by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday. "Nelson directly aided in the alleged criminal conduct," the statement added. Aside from hate crime charges, the pair also faces charges of "vandalism and possession of tools to commit vandalism or graffiti." "We must address the root and byproduct of systemic racism in our country," District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. "The Black Lives Matter movement is an important civil rights cause that deserves all of our attention."

"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," she added. "We must continue to elevate discussions and actually listen to one another in an effort to heal our community and country." Video from the incident shows Nelson wearing a red Trump shirt with the words "four more years" and filming Anderson as she starts painting over the letters. "We’re sick of this narrative, that’s what’s wrong," Nelson is heard in the video responding to bystanders who asked them what’s wrong. "The narrative of police brutality, the narrative of oppression, the narrative of racism, it’s a lie." "This is not happening in my town," Anderson added. The pair reportedly fled before authorities arrived at the scene. However, the mural was repainted following the incident.

Martinez Police Chief Manjit Sappal said in a statement that they had been looking for the man and woman seen in the video. "It appeared that the couple came to the mural with cans of paint and a roller with the specific purpose of vandalizing over the mural," Sappal said in the statement. "The community spent a considerable amount of time painting this mural only to have the suspects destroy it by dumping and rolling paint over part of the message." Having said that, both Anderson and Nelson face up to a year in county jail if convicted on the aforementioned charges. The alleged offenses are exempt from a specific bail amount owing to the current county bail schedule amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to the district attorney’s office.