Tacoma library mural designed to reflect community’s diversity vandalized with hate speech

TACOMA, Wash. — A Tacoma library mural, which reflects the diversity in the community, was vandalized with hate speech.

A neighborhood library, located in the heart of South Tacoma, near South 56th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue, is known for its new vibrant mural.

Dionne Bonner, a local artist, created the mural with the community’s input last April. The mural is designed to reflect the diverse families and children who live in the area while raising awareness about the library, which was previously overlooked by many due to its location and appearance.

“We worked with Dionne to make sure people know that this is where the library is at. It’s bright and colorful and welcoming,” said Mariesa Bus, public information officer for Tacoma Public Library.

Bus shared photos with KIRO 7 News of the vandalism that took place Wednesday overnight.

No one was working inside the building at the time.

The graffiti spanned across the mural along the side of the library.

An electrical box painted with similar designs, located nearby, was also tagged with similar hate speech, Bus said.

“The mural on our building had been defaced with what appears to be white supremacist graffiti,” Bus said. “Unfortunately, they’re trying to spread a message of hate against that and that will not work. We will not stop being a center for our community here.”

KIRO 7 News spoke with Damahn Sterling, a library assistant, who quickly jumped into action to stop the hate speech from spreading when he arrived at work.

“Myself and a colleague, we immediately put up white butcher paper to preserve the nature of it so our patrons didn’t see what that hate speech looked like,” he shared.

Like many libraries, the South Tacoma location offers free resources to help people in the community, but to many in the neighborhood, it’s more than just that – it’s also a community gathering center for people of all backgrounds.

“It’s one of the last public institutions, free public institutions, and it’s very very imperative that we protect and safeguard them,” said Sterling. “The damage to the mural is devastating because we have a large BIPOC community.”

“As a young Black man, I really want to be another advocating liaison for libraries, and again, promoting literacy and promoting preservation of history,” he added.

The library’s facilities team, the Office of Arts and Cultural Vitality and Bonner are continuing to restore the mural.

District 3 Council Member Jamika Scott shared the following statement.

“Like many in our community, I find this vile and cowardly act of hate unacceptable. I am especially disheartened that young children and families in South Tacoma who utilize our public library to learn and find joy may have been exposed to such disgusting images,” she wrote.

“I urge all members of our community to engage in dialogue about racial equity and social justice, and to seek out opportunities to learn more about other peoples’ experiences and deepen their empathy,” Scott added.

KIRO 7 News reached out to Bonner, however, we’re still waiting to hear back.

Tacoma investigators said no arrests have been made as of Friday. Detectives are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

If you have any details that can help detectives find the person(s) responsible, you’re asked to call Tacoma police at (253) 287-4455.

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