Controversial mural vandalized in Milwaukee near Holton and Locust

MILWAUKEE - Someone painted over a new, controversial mural that was placed on a building in Milwaukee's Harambee Neighborhood near Holton and Locust.

FOX6 was at the scene on Friday, Sept. 13, and noted that the black paint was partially covering a swastika merged with the Star of David.

The text on the mural read: "The irony of becoming what you once hated."

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FOX6's Jason Calvi also spoke to a woman who said she was the person who put the black paint over the mural.

"I vandalized it. I did. Whoever did this before, the hate. It’s a swastika. To me, it’s just promoting more violence. I’m trying to raise awareness that we have kids that play over here," said Sara Ninham, who was walking her dog when she saw it.

Then, the property owner showed up. Ihsan Atta defended the mural he commissioned for his building. He said he put it up as a way to draw attention to lives lost in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Jason: "You are criticizing a religion with the Star of David."
Ihsan: "I’m absolutely not criticizing a religion, so you’re trying to conflate religion with politics, which is incorrect."
Jason:  "The Star of David is a religious image."
Ihsan: "You need to educate yourself that the Star of David is also used in political settings. The Star of David is on the flag, the Star of David is on the fighter jets that are bombing people."
Jason: "The swastika is the symbol of hate of the Nazis. Why put the swastika up on the street?"
Ihsan: "Because genocide is genocide."
Jason: "There a way to criticize Israel without having to use the swastika?"
Ihsan: "I find it interesting that you find this mural so offensive, and yet you don’t find the murder and genocide of hundreds of thousands of people offensive."

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The Milwaukee Jewish Federation condemned the mural.

"I was disgusted and horrified at the blatantly antisemitic image that was clearly targeting the Jewish community," said Miryam Rosensweig from the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. "By intertwining the Jewish star, the symbol of being Jewish with the swastika, a symbol of the holocaust, and the destruction of a third off European Jews, there was an intent that was hateful and clearly antisemitic, targeting Jews in Milwaukee. No one in Israel will see it and certainly not the government."

But, before the day was over, the mural was back with the swastika.

"I appreciate the young lady who vandalized it because she only brought more attention to the mural, which in turn will educate people more because it will allow them to do their research and ask questions," Ihsan added.

Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services has authority over signs and billboards, but murals are excepted, so it doesn't have jurisdiction and doesn't approve them.

Official statements

Milwaukee County Supervisor Priscilla Coggs-Jones:

"I was recently made aware of the new mural at Holton and Locust in my district, which intertwines the Star of David and a swastika. I’ve heard from members of the Jewish community about how deeply offensive and demeaning this image is and was taken aback myself upon seeing it. I stand with them in calling for its immediate removal. Antisemitic symbols and rhetoric like this have no place in our community. Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee are actively working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible." 

Milwaukee Common Council Members Milele Coggs, Andrea Pratt, Mark Chambers, Jonathan Brostoff, Robert Bauman, DiAndre Jackson, JoCasta Zamarripa, Larresa Taylor, Sharlen Moore, Peter Burgelis, José Pérez, Scott Spiker, Marina Dimitrijevic and Russell Stamper (issued Sept. 14):

We have seen a mural that has gone up at Locust and Holton in the 6th District, and we are troubled by the hurtful and divisive messaging it contains.

The same space (on private property) that has displayed a beautiful and inspiring mural of Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old Black woman murdered by Louisville Metro Police in 2020, is now displaying a mural featuring the Star of David with a swastika placed inside of it.

This same mural was vandalized within the past 36 hours. While calling on all to respect private property and First Amendment rights, it is also important to call out those who import symbols of division, hatred and violence to our community, and then act surprised when they are not welcomed with open arms.

Some people look for any excuse to wave a swastika. It has long been a symbol of intolerance and hatred, designed to psychologically injure and oppress those who are different. To see it displayed on the streets of our city is sad, distressing, and disheartening.

Art has the power to inspire, educate, and heal. However, by displaying the swastika, the mural triggers deep feelings and traumatic associations with atrocities, persecution, and genocide, and it is not welcome in our community.

Good art, in our opinion, can move people to initiate engagement and dialogue that can lead to positive change, or even to some level of mutual understanding.

This mural is not the way to move people in a positive direction, and we are requesting the property owner take it down in a spirit of healing. 

Milwaukee Ald. Lamont Westmoreland:

Why was I not on the earlier joint statement issued by 14 of my colleagues?

I'll never serve as a rubber-stamp for the words of others. The statement went through multiple revisions by several Council Members, removing things they didn't like, and adding what they thought was missing. My attempt to have input was disregarded.

There were shifting deadlines to sign on - making it difficult for those who are doing things beyond waiting around for the next update and deadline.

If my perspective isn’t asked for or included, count me out. Always.

That said this issue is simple. The mural posted on a building at North Holton and East Locust streets has offended many, opened up mental wounds for some, and created division and hatred within our community. As such, it has no place being displayed as it currently is.

While I don’t believe the intention was to upset or offend, it has done just that. The use of any symbols or signs, such as the swastika the mural portrays, that have deep-rooted association with hatred and violence should be unacceptable and rejected in the strongest possible terms.

I would urge the owner of the building to consider all of the outrage that has been voiced in recent days, and offer a different version of the sign and message that is attempting to be portrayed.