CHICAGO (WLS) — Artwork meant to be a symbol of peace has been vandalized in Pilsen.
A group of community leaders said there needs to be action taken to address what they allege are hate crimes.
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A mural to symbolize solidarity between the Mexican and Palestinian communities was installed in May in Pilsen, but the artwork has been damaged.
Two people said they have witnessed the same person vandalizing the mural, and when confronting the woman, they said she became physical.
Late Friday, Natalie Figueroa said she was trying to record the woman doing the vandalism.
“I didn’t expect her to hit me,” Figueroa shared. “I was attempting to capture her expression, and she became agitated, leading her to physically assault me… landing a punch on the side of my face.”
Figueroa said she got two black eyes and a bruised shoulder and said the woman was writing anti-Palestine graffiti on the mural.
“Undoubtedly, it was a hate crime,” Figueroa affirmed. “Among the extensive two-mile stretch of murals, she deliberately targeted the one depicting Palestinian and Mexican unity.”
Laith, a resident of Pilsen who chose not to disclose their full name, recounted an incident on May 9 where they were also subjected to an attack by the same individual after confronting her regarding the alleged improper disposal of waste in front of the mural.
“I’m on the ground, she’s on top of me she choking me, and she starts strangling me with this very kufiya I’m wearing now,” Laith said.
Laith and Figueroa stood with advocates and elected officials on Wednesday, asking the woman involved in the attacks be charged with a hate crime. They said Chicago police was called to the scene Friday, but they neither questioned nor detained the woman.
“We want the Chicago Police Department to act with a sense of urgency so this person is not on the loose,” 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said.
“She needs to be brought to justice, to be charged for assault and battery in a hate crime, so these community members can finally feel safe again,” said Ahmad Rehab with CAIR Chicago.
“I organized this mural in peace, and now we are having people being attacked at the mural,” said Delilah Martinez with the Mural Movement.
Farah Chalisa, the civil attorney representing the two victims, is requesting the attacker be arrested.
“The way that this case is handled moving forward will tell us what we need to know about whose lives the city of Chicago is willing to protect,” Chalisa said.
Chicago police told ABC7 the investigation is open and no one has been charged in the incident last Friday.
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