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Breonna Taylor billboard put up by Oprah vandalized with red paint

Breonna Taylor billboard put up by Oprah vandalized with red paint
Posted at 11:15 AM, Aug 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-19 11:49:57-04

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A billboard calling for justice in the Breonna Taylor case was vandalized with red paint in Louisville..

The public discovered the vandalism to the sign near the city’s Irish Hill neighborhood Tuesday morning, WLKY and WAVE report.

However, by Tuesday afternoon, both TV stations say the paint had either been removed from the billboard or it had been replaced.

The billboard is one of several erected in the Kentucky city by Oprah Winfrey and her magazine, which featured Taylor on its September issue. She was the first person other than Oprah herself to grace the cover.

The signs feature a photo of the 26-year-old woman who was shot and killed by police in her home in March. They also have a call to action – “Demand that the police involved in killing Breonna Taylor be arrested and charged” – and encourage people to visit the website for Until Freedom, a social justice organization created to address systemic and racial injustice.

Taylor died on March 13 after three Louisville police officers executing a search warrant used a battering ram to enter her home. The emergency room technician and her boyfriend were in bed. After a brief exchange, Taylor’s boyfriend reportedly fired his gun and then police fired shots, striking Taylor at least eight times. She died in the apartment hallway.

Since Taylor’s death, protests have been held across the country, demanding that the officers involved be charged in her killing. Many celebrities other than Oprah have also used their platforms to call for action.

For now, the shooting is under investigation by the FBI and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Both are deciding whether criminal charges are warranted in the case.