Vandals deface MLK monument in Concord with spray paint. City decries ‘desecration.’
Vandals spray painted the Martin Luther King Jr. monument in Concord this weekend, police said in a statement announcing their investigation Monday.
Someone reported the vandalism to Concord Police Department officers Saturday at about 11:30 p.m., according to the news release.
As the paint dried, Barber-Scotia College wrapped up its homecoming events Saturday night.
The granite monument at the intersection of Cabarrus Avenue and Cascade Drive NW sits less than a mile away from. Community activist Robert Neal, 69, doubted the timing was coincidental.
Whatever message the vandals were trying to send amid the historically Black college’s celebrations won’t stick, said Neal, a recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award. The monument is a reminder to rise above egregious acts meant stunt growth and strike fear in the community.
The city’s Buildings and Grounds Department worked overnight to clean the spray paint,” wrote Concord’s spokeswoman, Lindsay Manson. The city did not say what the vandals spray painted.
The monument was to be covered while crews remove paint from its natural granite surfaces, Manson said. Its polished portions were restored overnight Saturday. By late Monday morning, it was not covered up.
On Monday evening, Concord police said they believe two people may have witnessed the crime or had seen the suspects flee the scene. They urged anyone who was traveling through the Cabarrus Avenue traffic circle at the MLK monument between 10:15 to 10:45 p.m. Saturday to call Sgt. Gary Mearite at 704-920-5000.
About the MLK monument
The monument honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s work leading the civil rights movement in the U.S. from the 1950s until his assassination in 1968. It includes quotes from his “I Have a Dream” speech and highlights the values of truth, hope, unity and peace.
The civil rights activist walked along the street when he visited Barber-Scotia College in 1963, according to a Cabarrus Magazine story on Vernie King, a local teacher who met him during his stint visiting Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“The Martin Luther King Jr. Monument is a symbol of hope and justice, and the desecration of this cherished memorial has no place in our city,” said Mayor Bill Dusch in the release.
In 2010, one year after the monument was built, police arrested an 18-year-old for allegedly shooting paintballs at it, WBTV reported.
“It is disturbing to me and many community members that the monument which stands for peace and harmony and groups working together has been vandalized for the second time,” Neal said.
Concord, the fast-growing suburb of Charlotte, has a population of about 110,000 people, census estimates show. About 22% of its residents are Black.
Anyone with information about the latest incident can call Concord Police at 704-920-5000 or remain anonymous by calling the Cabarrus Area Crime Stoppers at 704-932-7463.
This story was originally published October 9, 2023 at 11:25 AM.
