"Say their names" mural honoring victims of San Antonio police violence vandalized during MLK march

Credit: Screenshot / Ananda Sunshine Thomas

As thousands of San Antonio residents took to the streets to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a mural honoring people of color slain at the hands of San Antonio police was vandalized, according to Act4SA organizer Ananda Thomas.

Thomas went live on her Facebook showing the damage, which she claims occurred during the peaceful annual march in tribute to the late civil rights icon.

“This is a blatant and racist attack against victims of police violence,” Thomas said during the live video. “Their family members had to show up and see their loved ones’ names vandalized.”

Thomas added that her group, Act4SA, will raise money to restore the mural and called for donations at Act4SA’s website “so we can fix these up.”

The “Say Their Names” mural, 3514 Martin Luther King Drive, features portraits of 14 San Antonians who died after run-ins with SAPD and BCSO deputies. The artwork also features the victims’ families — now all scribbled out with black graffiti.

The mural is the creation of artist Davis Blancas, who told the Current he undertook the project to raise awareness for victims such as Melissa Perez, who was shot by police during a mental health episode.

“It’s about giving them a voice and another opportunity to tell the story of what happened, in their own words,” Blancas said.

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“Say their names” mural honoring victims of San Antonio police violence vandalized during MLK march

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