tSource: Courier Journal / HandoutBreonna Taylor’s name and likeness has been all over the place this year. From magazine covers, to billboards, murals and more.
We know what she looks like and the tragic way in which her life ended. And while you would think no one would have an issue with people celebrating and honoring a woman whose life was taken unjustly, that is sadly not the case.
According to The Guardian, nearly two weeks ago, artist Leo Carson, erected a statue of Taylor in downtown Oakland, near City Hall.
But on Saturday, it was found smashed.
While police have not identified suspects or motives, Carson believes the move was done as “an act of racial aggression aimed at suppressing the fight for Black freedom.”
The statue was a bust of a smile Taylor, with a plaque underneath that read, “Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor.”
Police are hoping the number of surveillance cameras in the area will point to the perpetrators of this act. In the meantime, Matt Bigler, a local journalist, has reported that a local Bay Area law firm has vowed to pay for the costs to repair the statue.
You can take a look at the damage below.
The bust was meant to honor Taylor, the 26-year-old healthcare worker who was killed during a no-knock raid in Kentucky. Officers entered her home at night. Her boyfriend, believing the cops were intruders fired a single shot. They responded, shooting 32 times, with six bullets striking Taylor.
Carson told local CBS affiliate KPIX-TV, it looked like “they hit [the statue] with a baseball bat along the back.” Carson plans to recast the statue in bronze to make it sturdier.
