Two men were arrested on Saturday in connection to the alleged vandalism of a Black Lives Matter mural in the City of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz police received a report on July 24 that the BLM mural painted in the 800 block of Center St. had been vandalized.
Investigators arrested two men in connection with the alleged defacement Saturday night - Brandon Bochat, 20, of Santa Cruz, and Hagan Warner, 19, of Boulder Creek. Both young men are facing one count of felony vandalism and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.
The mural, created by 500 volunteers last year, stretches down the street depicting the phrase "Black Lives Matter" in large yellow letters.
In a video obtained by detectives, the vandals are seen "burning out" across the length of the mural, leaving streaks of black tire marks.
Brenda Griffin, President of the local NAACP branch, was saddened by the crime. "It's extraordinarily frustrating as some people still don't get Black Lives Matter, too," she said. "This mural is a symbol of hope. We want our youth to know we have their backs."
“There is no place for racism or acts of hate in the City of Santa Cruz,” Mayor Donna Meyers affirmed.
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