Anti-Trump billboard in Phoenix vandalized
A controversial billboard in downtown Phoenix that drew international attention for criticizing President Donald Trump has been vandalized with graffiti.
The billboard’s design shows Trump’s face saddled by mushroom clouds in the shape of a clown’s face and symbols of dollar signs imitating Nazi swastikas.
As of Friday morning, the bottom half of the billboard had been covered up with a large graffiti tag. A man was seen scrubbing it Friday afternoon.
It isn’t clear what the graffiti says. As is true with most tags, the design is likely a stylized version of a name.
An artistic loss or a welcome cover-up?
Santa Monica, California, artist and activist Karen Fiorito’s billboard went up near Grand Avenue and Taylor Street in downtown Phoenix on March 17 and immediately drew worldwide attention.
Many Trump opponents found the billboard to be powerful or funny, while supporters called it offensive and tasteless.
The back of the billboard shows five fists forming sign language letters with the word “unity” above the fists.
Fiorito told The Arizona Republic Friday afternoon that the graffiti is a nuisance.
“This is just some mediocre tagger trying to get attention. Unlike the paintballs, which I personally liked, this doesn’t add anything to the piece.”All they did was cause a headache of a cleanup. Luckily we had it coated especially for such an occasion. “Since it’s been up, it’s been graffitied, paintballed and someone even tried to throw a molotov cocktail at it, so I can’t say I’m surprised.
The billboard was commissioned by La Melgosa LCC, which is owned by Grand Avenue champions Beatrice Moore and Tony Zahn. Moore said the billboard is on land owned by La Melgosa LLC.
“We are having no comment at this time except that it will be repaired,” Moore said.