A memorial painted in honor of George Floyd was destroyed after a severe storm passed through Ohio. Some people speculated that white supremacists were behind the vandalism, but it was actually Mother Nature that caused the mural to collapse. A bolt of lightning struck the tribute during the storm, reducing it to rubble.
The Floyd painting had been applied to the side of a former Mugshots tavern. The portrait of the deceased man slain by a previous Minneapolis police officer was surrounded by bright hues. A coronet was placed on top of his head in the Floyd picture as well.
The Floyd mural, on the other hand, was destroyed in an unexpected and tragic occurrence around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 2021, according to a witness who happened to observe it happen. According to the eyewitness, the lightning strike demolished the brick wall and caused it to collapse. The George Floyd painting has now been reduced to rubble as a result of the powerful lightning bolt.
Though some thought the Floyd mural was purposely destroyed as part of a White Lives Matter response to the Black Lives Matter movement, Doppler Radar later confirmed that a lightning strike hit the area around the time it collapsed.
The George Floyd mural at the Toledo restaurant was painted by Artist David Ross. Unfortunately, the painting was done on the side of an ancient structure with bricks that were not entirely solid. Apparently, the lightning strike was too strong, causing the building to collapse immediately. The building was structurally sound, according to a Toledo Building Inspector, but the wall that collapsed was not.
“Take a Breath” was the name of Rolfe’s artwork, which was painted on the wall in July 2020. Unfortunately, the painting barely outlasted one year in Toledo before being destroyed by freak lightning.
Following the devastation of George Floyd’s previous mural, Toledo is planning to rebuild it. Because this recently occurred, the city has yet to determine a design for the new painting, but a spokesperson confirmed that the city is dedicated to creating a new mural in celebration of Black Lives Matter. The City of Toledo is currently considering where they will place their new artwork.
Following the removal of the George Floyd mural, police officers arrived on the scene to establish caution tape to ensure that people were safe from falling debris. The building’s owner was also on hand cleaning up the fallen bricks and removing any remaining stones that survived the lightning strike. To make it safer for visitors traveling through the city, the area is being cleaned.
What are your thoughts on the George Floyd mural that was destroyed in Toledo, Ohio?
