According to TPD, a suspect wearing “all black” and a “black mask” was seen on camera pouring “possibly tar” over the “Back the Blue” mural last night at around 10:00 p.m. The suspect was also seen coming out of a “black hatchback,” which was spotted circling the area earlier that night.
The department also says a second suspect poured red paint on the “Back the Blue” mural, and also graffitied “Fuck 12” and BLM’ on a mesh roll-up utility door on the north of their headquarters this morning at around 12:30 a.m.
"The Tampa Police Department expects everyone to express themselves in a lawful manner,” said Chief Brian Dugan in a statement. “Murals painted in the city roadway need to be approved. We will continue to work with any group to make sure their first amendment rights are heard.”
The original alert from TPD said the department is currently offering a $3,000 reward, however City of Tampa Marketing and Communications Director Ashley Bauman told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that there is no reward and it's just "at the bottom of every media alert."
Bauman also told CL that Mayor Jane Castor "didn’t give approval written or verbally" for the "Back the Blue" mural.
While The Tampa Police Department says this case is now under investigation, they have not said if there's currently an active case regarding the group who originally painted the “Back the Blue” mural without a permit, and illegally shut down the street for hours.
We reached out to TPD for comment and will update this story if they get back to us.
Kristen Krutz, a Lutz resident who helped organize the 'Back the Blue" mural, told the Tampa Bay Times that volunteers would be back Wednesday to help repaint the mural.
Earlier today Fox 13 reporter Loyd Sowers said mural organizers were prevented from repairing the mural until the permit clears.
Tampa police officers stop activists from repairing vandalized Back the Blue Mural because final permit must be obtained. pic.twitter.com/uBezmC74K9
— Lloyd Sowers FOX 13 (@lloydsowers) August 5, 2020
In a Monday afternoon statement sent to CL, Castor said, “Any tribute to honor their service is welcome. It’s unfortunate they didn’t see the permitting process through so that our community could participate in showing their appreciation for the brave men and women that service our residents every day.”
UPDATE: This article was updated to include comments from City of Tampa Marketing and Communications Director Ashley Bauman, and to also correct the claim that TPD is offering a $3,000 reward, though TPD has yet to clarify why the reward was mentioned in the IPO in the first place.
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This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2020.