SAN ANTONIO – An East Side mural honoring people who were killed by local law enforcement is being restored after it was vandalized nearly two weeks ago.
On Jan. 19, Martin Luther King, Jr., someone spray-painted black on the names and faces of those honored on the “Say Their Names” mural.
The mural is located along MLK Drive, the starting point of San Antonio’s annual MLK March. With the vandalism occurring on MLK Day, some believe the timing was no coincidence.
The act itself was hurtful, but on Saturday, a group of volunteers turned that pain into purpose.
Restoration work began on the mural.
David Blancas, the muralist, said he is not only fixing the damage but also expanding it.
Another person is being added to the mural, along with signs and messages of protest.
The mural depicts the names and faces of individuals who were killed by local law enforcement. The display shows their likenesses being held by their respective family members and loved ones.
On Saturday, Blancas was joined by volunteers as they repainted the images.
He and Ananda Tomas, the executive director of ACT 4 SA, one of the nonprofits that sponsored the mural, both agreed that the city’s support helped bring some good from the vandalism.
“With that, we are able to raise awareness about the project and what happened to these individuals, and it gives us a chance to update it,” Blancas said.
Tomas said since the vandalism, she has seen an overwhelming amount of community support for restoring the mural through donations of supplies, money and volunteer time.
“We will always stand together and rise together in the face of hatred, and racism and bigotry and we’re going to come back even stronger,” Tomas said.
The original mural was dedicated on March 15, 2025, which Tomas said is International Day Against Police Brutality.
Tomas said they are hoping to rededicate the new mural on the same date this year.
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