New 50-foot-long mural along SF's Great Highway oceanfront park vandalized
"Having this beautiful mural defaced is really disappointing to see."
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- One day after a stretch of San Francisco's Great Highway was permanently closed to cars, a new mural in the works there was vandalized.
The damage done to the new 50-foot mural at the Judah bathroom on the Great Highway is turning heads. Passersby are doing a double-take because of the vandalism.
"I don't know what type of frustration, what type of thing people are feeling when they feel the need to do this to ruin something someone else has done," said Richard Hom.
"We just opened this brand-new park. Having this beautiful mural defaced is really disappointing to see," said David Gutierrez, a San Francisco resident.
MORE: SF's Great Highway is now permanently closed to cars. Here's what happens next
On Friday night, someone spray painted the mural.
"It's really disappointing to see. This is a piece of art that celebrates the Sunset as a fun destination for people for recreation--everything from the Cliff House to Sutro Baths to Playland at the beach," said Zach Lipton, a San Francisco resident.
The artist started the mural three weeks ago. She says she put almost 150 hours into it. She was almost done.
"She was going to put a clear coat on it when it was done which will give it protection and make minor graffiti easier to clean up," said Lipton.
MORE: Lawsuit filed in efforts to prevent closure of San Francisco's Great Highway to traffic
Before the mural was vandalized, ABC7 News Reporter Tara Campbell caught up with the artist, Emily Fromm.
"My concept was to celebrate the history of the neighborhood," said Fromm. "So, people who have lived here a long time can recognize things they haven't seen in quite a number of years. A future generations and young ones will learn a little more about the history."
Fromm says she has been verbally harassed multiple times.
Another artist working on a similar project at Taraval has also reported experiencing repeated harassment from opponents of the park.
MORE: Controversy continues over San Francisco's Prop K, permanent closure of Great Highway
Police are still investigating the incidents.
Last November, voters approved Prop K, a controversial measure which shut down a 2-mile stretch of the great highway.
Heidi Moseson is with Friends of Ocean Beach Park.
"The voters just chose to make this into a public park. I think whoever did this is trying to undermine that community ethos," said Moseson.
MORE: SF residents divided over Measure K to permanently close portion of Great Highway to cars
Moseson says the community is banding together Sunday morning starting at 8 a.m.
"The artist and volunteers have rallied to come out to help the artist repair the damage that was done restore it to the beauty that it was," said Moseson.
Supervisor Joel Engardio says no matter how people voted on Prop K, he said, "Defacing artwork is not how opinions are shared. And no one should have to endure verbal abuse by someone who disagrees with a policy or the outcome of a vote. Now more than ever we need civility in our politics and public discourse."
