Pair arrested after two men urinate on George Floyd mural in Manchester
17 February 2021, 15:27 | Updated: 17 February 2021, 18:34
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of urinating on the George Floyd mural in Manchester while simultaneously filming themselves.
The offenders were caught on CCTV defacing the memorial in the city centre in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
One local councillor said the men filmed themselves urinating on the artwork in Stevenson Square.
The pair, both aged 22, were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.
They have been released on bail pending further enquiries
Manchester councillor Pat Karney branded the act "a deliberate violation of the mural" and George Floyd's memory.
"What the mural stands for is the way in which he was unlawfully killed and the Black Lives Matter movement," he was reported as saying by the Manchester Evening News.
Read more: George Floyd mural in Manchester defaced with racist graffiti
Watch: Cephas Williams on progress of racial equality since George Floyd death
George Floyd Mural.
— Pat Karney (@patkarney) February 17, 2021
Extra Security measures have caught two males filming themselves urinating on the mural.
Thanks to GMP they have been arrested.
Trumpian social media is fuelling this hatred.
Cllr Karney also wrote on Twitter: "Extra Security measures have caught two males filming themselves urinating on the mural.
"Thanks to GMP they have been arrested.
The painting was created by Manchester street artist, Akse, following the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last May.
Following Mr Floyd's death at the hands of police officers, demonstrations erupted across the world in protest against racial inequality.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "Officers received a report at around 1am on Wednesday 17 February 2021 of two males urinating against a George Floyd mural in Stevenson Square, Manchester.
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George Floyd laid to rest
"Officers attended and two men, both aged 22, were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.
"They remain in custody for questioning. Enquiries are ongoing."
It comes just two days after the artwork was defaced with racist graffiti for the second time in less than a year.
The mural had a large 'N' spray-painted over it on Sunday night and the word 'n****r' sprayed on it by a masked vandal last summer.
Councillor Jon-Connor Lyons said the painting has since been covered up "to prevent further graffiti or cause any emotional damage to our communities".
Anyone with information should contact GMP on 0161 856 3245 quoting incident 98 of 17/02/21. Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
