Why was George Floyd’s mural in Toledo destroyed?

A GEORGE Floyd mural painted on the exterior of a former Ohio bar has dramatically collapsed amid fears it was destroyed by vandals.

Cops have cordoned off the damaged site in Toledo, where the artwork is now a large pile of bricks.

Why was George Floyd's mural in Toledo destroyed?

The George Floyd mural, painted on the side of a brick building in Toledo, Ohio, collapsed on July 13, 2021.

Witnesses told Toledo Police that the artwork was struck by lightning, which destroyed it.

"13abc’s Doppler Radar did show a lightning strike in that block at about 4.30pm on Tuesday, " the broadcaster reported in Toledo.

ABC said that cops were seen outside the Summit and Lagrange building - formerly the Mugshots Bar.

They have cordoned off the site - part of which is now a pile of bricks.

A City of Toledo building inspector has confirmed the premises are structurally sound.

However, the owner has been clearing up the destroyed mural, and will also knock down the remainder of the ruined wall.

When was the mural first painted?

Toledo's George Floyd mural was painted in July 2020, two months after his shocking death on May 25, 2020.

A tweet upon its completion said that it was done by "community outreach in north Toledo, Ohio, in memory of George Floyd and all the people who died from police brutality".

The City of Toledo spokesperson said officials were heartbroken that the work of artist David Ross had been destroyed.

They added that a new mural would be painted in another location, co-organized by the arts commission.

What other murals have been made in George Floyd's honor?

Since Mr Floyd's death, supporters have built shrines, statues, and painted murals honoring his life.

The Reader's Digest reports that there are about 30 murals of Mr Floyd around the world.

The publication adds: "Many artists and activists alike have taken to art to express the immense grief and anger felt throughout their communities and the world."

The murals are painted in places including Houston, Texas - near where he grew up; Louisville, Kentucky; Los Angeles, California; Denver, Colorado; Naples, Italy; Portland, Oregon; Gaza City, Palestine; Manchester, England; Brooklyn, New York; Toronto, Ontario; Manhattan, New York; Barcelona, Spain.

They can also be seen in: Miami, Florida; Berlin, Germany; Idlib, Syria; Belfast International Wall, Ireland; Bethlehem, Israel and Nairobi in Kenya.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the mural is at the intersection of 38th St and Chicago Ave, which has become known as George Floyd Square.

Columnist Brandi Morin writes in the Toronto Star that the Minneapolis mural is "stunning with the names of other Black and Indigenous peoples killed by police written in a black halo behind him.

"In front, there were plastic flowers, candles, notes, random items and graffiti from the remnants of a war that changed the world."