Fayetteville citizens were shocked to see the Black Lives Matter mural burned and scrubbed away in downtown today -- especially with no warning, and so soon after the chaos in DC.
>>> THIS IS WRAL NEWS YOUR LOCAL STORES FOR NEWS. >> NOW AT 5:30. AND RACISM NOW. THEY SURROUNDED THE BUILDING FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS NOW AFTER PROTESTS IN THE WAKE OF GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH THE MURAL IS NOW SUDDENLY GOING AWAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT 5:30. I AM LENA. >> THEY STARTED TODAY AND BRYAN MIMS IS LIVE. >> THE MESSAGES WERE PAINTED AROUND LAST SUMMER. >> Reporter: THIS BUILDING HAS A TROUBLE PASS. AND PLAY PEOPLE WERE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN SOLD HERE NEAR BACK RANDY MAHLEN TIMES. LAST SUMMER THIS BUILDING BECAME A FOCAL POINT. AND TODAY PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED TO SEE THE SLOGANS BEING ERASED. >> Reporter: WORKERS BURNED AND SCRUBBED AWAY THE WORDS BLACK LIVES DO MATTER AND AND RACISM NOW. IT CAME WITHOUT WARNING FOR A LOCAL ARTIST WHO HELPED PAINT THE WORDS LAST SUMMER. >> I STARTED REACHING OUT. >> SHE SAID, IT'S WRONG TO REMOVE IT JUST DAYS AFTER PRO- TRUMP RIDERS STORM THE CAPITAL. >> I THINK THE TIMING TO REMOVE THIS RIGHT NOW IS IMPROPER SINCE WE ARE STILL TRYING TO DIGEST WHAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY. THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO REMOVE THIS. >> Reporter: AFTER THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD, AT THE HANDS OF A POLICE OFFICER LAST MAY, RIOTERS ATTACKED THE HOUSE. THE CITY PARTNERED WITH THE COUNCIL TO PAINT THE CITIES. THE ARTWORK WAS ONLY SUPPOSED BE THERE SUSPECT COLEMAN. HE SAID, IN NOVEMBER CITY COUNCIL GAVE ITS CONSENSUS TO THE CITY MANAGER TO REMOVE THE WORDS AT THE BEGINNING OF 2021. >> IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR A FRESH START AND A BLANK SLATE. >> IT CAME AS A BIG SHOCK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. IT WAS ONLY ANNOUNCED AFTER IT WAS STARTED. >> THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT HOW THESE EVENTS WILL BE. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO TURN THE PAGE WITH UNITY. >> AND HINDSIGHT WE ALWAYS LEARN FROM WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER. COMMUNICATION, I AGREE, COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. >> BRUCE KNOX THOUGHT THE ARTWORK WAS PERMANENT. >> YOU SEE IT COMING DOWN ON THE GROUND AND YOU FEEL A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT IT. >> HERE WE ARE AND WE ARE SHOCKED. >>> AS YOU CAN SEE WORKERS STILL HAVE SOME LETTERS TO REMOVE MOST ARE GONE BUT IF YOU DO REMAIN. MAYOR MITCH: ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS OF THE CITY TO SHARE THE IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE MARKET HOUSE. HE BELIEVES 2021 IS A YEAR OF HEALING AND UNITY IN FAYETTEVILLE AND THAT FAYETTEVILLE STILL STANDS BEHIND THE CAUSE OF BLACK LIVES
