A MURAL DEDICATED to murdered journalist Lyra McKee in the US state of Florida has been repainted after being defaced with a Swastika and anti-LQBTQ graffiti.
McKee died after being hit by a bullet during rioting in the Creggan area of Derry on 18 April 2019.
The mural to McKee was unveiled in Orlando, Florida in 2019.
It depicts McKee against a rainbow heart with the caption: “Keep hanging on, kid. It’s worth it. I love you.”
McKee had travelled to Orlando in 2017 as part of an international exchange program called ‘Exploring American Values’.
Her visit to Orlanda came a year after the city was rocked by a massacre in a gay nightclub.
The gunman killed 49 people on 12 June, 2016, before being fatally shot himself following a stand-off with police.
McKee dedicated a 2017 TedTalk in Stormont to the victims of the Orlando massacre in Pulse nightclub.
Anna V. Eskamani, a member of the Florida House of Representatives, labelled the incident “absolutely disgusting” and vowed to do “what we can to identify who did this and hold them accountable”.
These were shared by the ED of our LGBTQ+ Center — absolutely disgusting. Will do what we can to identify who did this and hold them accountable. pic.twitter.com/BNWOJkxfK6
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) August 26, 2023
The mural has since been repainted by LGBTQ organisation Zebra Youth and artist Kim Murphy.
Zebra Youth thanked everyone who helped to repair the vandalised mural, adding: “We have an incredible community and will not stop fighting!”
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