Vandalism of Arthur Ashe Statue Sickens Onlookers
The people of Richmond, Virginia got a surprise at the start of the week as the Arthur Ashe [...]
This man spray painted white lives matter on the Arthur Ashe statue, bystanders got a glimpse of his license plate, South Carolina tags SOC 223 . pic.twitter.com/4zTutlCCea
— Jasper the Neutrally Feeling Ghost (@iheartdookey) June 17, 2020
A tale of this morning and the Arthur Ashe statue, which has remained untouched until last night/this morning. Someone decided to be an idiot and spray racist messaging on it. pic.twitter.com/yhjjghnYUH
— #socialjusticenerd (@BreRVA) June 17, 2020
prevnextConfederate monuments were spraypainted because they venerate pro-slavery racist traitors. Arthur Ashe’s monument was spraypainted because Arthur Ashe is black. https://t.co/FEaE15oAWX
— Mike Guardabascio (@Guardabascio) June 17, 2020
Update on the “White Lives Matter” graffiti on the Arthur Ashe statue: neighbors and other have been working tirelessly all morning to get it off the statue. Mission is basically accomplished at this point. @myVPM pic.twitter.com/Jh8JGp2gUe
— Roberto Roldan (@ByRobertoR) June 17, 2020
This guy who said his name is “everyone” and a graduate of Benedictine High School just spray painted the Arthur Ashe monument with “white lives matter.” #richmondprotests pic.twitter.com/SBMyIvg6qs
— Chris Suarez (@Suarez_CM) June 17, 2020
prevnextA monument to the black tennis legend Arthur Ashe in Richmond, Virginia, was vandalized with spray paint that read “WLM” and “White Lives Matter” https://t.co/GuqNCym1VU
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 18, 2020
*warning a story....so today started off basic enough, and meeting Fatima for coffee and a walk along Monument Ave... normal walk until we hit Arthur Ashe and a guy was tagging white lives matter on the statue.. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/dRqL8L3Yon
— Betsy Milburn (@Reallyjustreal) June 17, 2020
Last night someone spray painted “white lives matter” and “wlm” on the Arthur Ashe statue on Monument. Activists subsequently spray-painted over them with “Black Lives Matter” and “BLM” and folks are scrubbing off the earlier slogans now. pic.twitter.com/41sMUH9p2J
— Sarah Vogelsong (@SarahVogelsong) June 17, 2020
prevnextWe’re protesting the legacy of slavery as embodied by statues of Confederate generals, and you’re protesting... a Black guy winning three Grand Slam singles tournaments? https://t.co/NXf538O7YS
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) June 18, 2020
#RVA #SouthCarolina #BLM How do we find this guy? He vandalized the Arthur Ashe statue and I know some people who’d like to speak with him. pic.twitter.com/krCpu55wkq
— Rell (@Hail_Rell) June 17, 2020
Richmond: Huge shoutout to the person that acted quickly and took this picture of a racist tagging racist graffiti on Arthur Ashe’s statue base. https://t.co/VOrk4ey3dl
— Richmond Police (@BeQueerDoCrime) June 17, 2020
prevnextSo a friend of mine sent me this from Richmond, VA. This individual is purposely trying to sabotage the BLM protest and is refusing to leave the premises. This is going on rn at the Arthur Ashe statute. Please spread the word! pic.twitter.com/ewAiybjkq5
— Ray Quinzel 🏳️🌈 (@jedimasterrey1) June 17, 2020
The awesome cleanup crew had already gotten to the #ArthurAshe statue before I could even photograph the racist graffiti.
Someone came by with cleaning material while I was photographing and he joked that someone already beat him to it. #richmondprotest pic.twitter.com/LcBoUIAm88
— Zach D Roberts (@zdroberts) June 17, 2020
I want to say I'm surprised... #ArthurAshe pic.twitter.com/rSIo2GnZus
— CoachJames (@__RJames2) June 17, 2020
prevnextGoing after a statue of Arthur Ashe in response to statues of racists and slave owners being removed. In a year of especially bad ideas, that's up there.
— Brian Coulter (@PhilaBCoulter) June 17, 2020
The only white person Arthur Ashe owned was Jimmy Conners at Wimbledon in 1975.
This is just absurd, folks. Stop being dumb. pic.twitter.com/OhtdX7zI4j
— Jᴀsᴏɴ Kᴇɴɴᴇʏ 😷 (@jasonkenney) June 17, 2020
The lone spray paint of “white lives matter” didn’t last long on the Arthur Ashe Monument.
“BLM” is now covering the statue where “WLM” was before. @8NEWS pic.twitter.com/l5p4GoTyDJ
— Tyler Thrasher (@TylerJThrasher) June 17, 2020
prevnextYep, you are seeing this correctly. Someone decided that "white lives matter" and in retaliation tagged Arthur Ashe. Word on the street is someone drove all the way from South Carolina to do this🤔. The wrath that is coming from the ancestors...you won't be able to hide. pic.twitter.com/X4z4c4PYV7
— Amber J (@HoneZtyEyeZ) June 17, 2020
Yep, you are seeing this correctly. Someone decided that "white lives matter" and in retaliation tagged Arthur Ashe. Word on the street is someone drove all the way from South Carolina to do this🤔. The wrath that is coming from the ancestors...you won't be able to hide. pic.twitter.com/X4z4c4PYV7
— Amber J (@HoneZtyEyeZ) June 17, 2020
UPDATE on Arthur Ashe situation @8NEWS pic.twitter.com/Ry9KFlra9J
— Alex Thorson (@Alex8news) June 17, 2020
prevSomeone with out-of-state plates was seen tagging the Arthur Ashe monument with "White Lives Matter" and "WLM" - Crixell got photos & a reaction from a bystander. pic.twitter.com/cWqVJsm7vC
— VPM (@myVPM) June 17, 2020