Miami Murals Defaced with Hate Graffiti, Police Probe

Murals honoring Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso in Miami's Overtown neighborhood were defaced this week with racist graffiti, including swastikas and a racial slur. The vandalism was discovered by a 7-year-old boy at Dorsey Park, a historic site for Negro League baseball, and is being investigated as a hate crime by Miami police. Community leaders and mural artists have condemned the act, describing it as an attempt to instill fear and erase Black and Afro-Latino history. U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick called the incident a 'vile act of hatred' and affirmed the community's resolve to pursue justice and preserve history. The murals, which celebrate Robinson's and Miñoso’s landmark contributions to baseball and civil rights, have been boarded up for restoration. As of now, no arrests have been made.