In pictures: Marcus Rashford mural covered in messages of support after racist graffiti

Local residents in Withington, Manchester, rallied round to replace the abuse with love hearts

Tuesday 13 July 2021 05:56 EDT

Defaced Marcus Rashford mural covered in supportive notes

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Hundreds of messages of support were added to the mural of England footballer Marcus Rashford after it was defaced with graffiti.

Residents in Withington, Manchester, posted sticky notes, love hearts and England flags on the black bin liners covering up the abuse, which appeared shortly after the team’s loss to Italy on penalties at the Euro 2020 final. Police are investigating the incident as racially aggravated criminal damage.

Rashford, who missed his penalty, said in a Twitter post on Monday night that the response from his community “had me on the verge of tears”.

He added: “I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologise for who I am and where I came from.

“The messages I have received today have been positively overwhelming... The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up. I’m Marcus Rashford, 23 year old, black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else, I have that.”

Here are a selection of pictures from the scene: