A Wheat Ridge city crew has painted over graffiti glorifying the Illinois teenager who shot and killed two people during recent protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The image, recently appeared on a wall that holds up an overpass where eastbound I-70 crosses over Clear Creek, depicts Kyle Rittenhouse standing in front of an outline of the state of Wisconsin that has been filled in with the American flag. Westword, which first reported on the image, stated that the words “KYLE WAS RIGHT” had also been painted on the wall.
In the image published by Wesword, obscenities and anti-police and racism slogans had been tagged onto the original image.
Wheat Ridge Public Information Officer Sara Spaulding said the wall is located just east of Wadsworth and was visible from the east bound ramp from Wadsworth onto I-70. Clear Creeek runs on the other side of the wall.
Westword’s story about the image came out on Sept. 24. Spaulding said the city had not received any reports about the image prior to the publication of that article but sent a team out to investigate after reading the story.
The team painted over the image, which had already been graffitied on by a tagger. According to Spaulding, the image had actually been painted onto a wall owned by the Colorado Department of Transportation. However, the city crew painted over it as a courtesy.
Spaulding said in an email that the city of Wheat Ridge “removes any type of graffiti as quickly as possible when it appears on city property.” The public can report graffiti by calling the city’s community service officers hotline at 303-235-2926.
“Messages are picked up at the start of each shift and throughout the day,” Spaulding said in an email. “Wheat Ridge community services officers and forestry and open space teams can respond quickly.”
To report graffiti Wheat Ridge Community Services Officers and, Forestry and Open Space Teams can respond quickly, please call the CSO hotline 303-235-2926. Messages are picked up at the start of each shift and throughout the day.
The City of Wheat Ridge removes any type of graffiti as quickly as possible when it appears on City property. Property near the I-70 overpasses is owned by Wheat Ridge, Arvada or CDOT, and depending on the specific location, is cleaned up by the responsible municipality or agency.
Spaulding said Wheat Ridge police can investigate and cite someone for graffiti that occurs on Wheat Ridge property if there is sufficient evidence to do so.
In a follow-up story, Westword reported that a graffiti artist who goes by the name Lovechuselt had painted over the image of Rittenhouse before the city got to it, covering it with a different image containing the words “Luv Chu” and a peace sign and heart. Painted next to the graphic were the words “we all need love more than ever.”