David Nelson and Nicole Anderson charged for painting over BLM mural in Martinez, CA

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https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/07/us/hate-crime-charges-black-lives-matter-mural-painted-over-trnd/index.html

(CNN)A White man and a White woman who allegedly painted over a California community's Black Lives Matter mural this weekend are each facing a hate crime charge, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

David Nelson and Nicole Anderson are each charged with three misdemeanor counts, including violation of civil rights, vandalism, and possession of tools to commit vandalism or graffiti, the district attorney's office said in a statement. The incident happened soon after the mural was painted in front of the courthouse in Martinez, California, on July 4.

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When reached by phone by CNN, Nelson, 53, said "I have no comment -- for you anyway." CNN's attempts to reach Anderson, 42, went unanswered Tuesday night.

A woman, wearing a red T-shirt and flip-flops, began painting over the yellow-lettered mural with black paint Saturday, as seen in a video posted on YouTube and shared in a police statement. A man wearing a red Trump shirt that read "Four more years" began filming as the woman started painting.

"We're sick of this narrative, that's what's wrong," the man said in the video. "The narrative of police brutality, the narrative of oppression, the narrative of racism, it's a lie."