Terrell Bradley advocates grapple with racist messages, images painted over 34th Street mural

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A mural on Southwest 34th Street was painted with messages demanding justice for Terrell Bradley Thursday night. Hours later, the message was defaced with symbols of hate.

Friends and family of Terrell Bradley woke up early Friday morning to paint over the hateful messages left on a mural demanding justice for Bradley, who lost an eye to a Gainesville Police Department K-9 after he fled from police last month.

Police pulled Bradley over for a traffic violation and asked him to exit his car July 10. Upon exiting, Bradley fled after elbowing one of the officers who pulled him over, according to a sworn complaint affidavit. Police found Bradley hiding in the bushes at the Eden Park apartment complex when the K-9 attacked Bradley, taking his eye.

In response to the Bradley incident, community advocates painted a mural demanding GPD Police Chief Lonnie Scott release the body and dash camera footage from the violent encounter between Bradley and the K-9, which activist Danielle Chanzes said could speed up the investigation and provide clarity .

The mural on Southwest 34th Street was defaced with blue spray paint depicting a swastika and the phrase, God Bless Derek Chauvin, referencing the Minneapolis police officer convicted of George Floyds 2020 murder. The murals defacement comes shortly after antisemitic and white supremacist flyers were found in Gainesville neighborhoods.

The Bradley incident led to other responses from the community, such as a protest July 17, a peoples investigation July 23 and a police advisory council sit-in July 27.

The mural stood untouched until Thursday morning when residents learned it had been painted over in all black, Chanzes said.

We kind of just decided, look, its another blank canvas, Chanzes said. Lets write a new message.

Chanzes joined residents Thursday night to paint a new message on the wall: a response.

You can cover up our messages, but you can’t stop our movement, the message reads. Its #JusticeForTerrellBradley Every. Damn. Day.

Residents finished repainting the mural Thursday night around 10 pm, Chanzes said. By 2 am, it was vandalized a second time with blue spray paint. The murals defacement with symbols of white supremacy didnt phase her, Chanzes said.

Were seeing people true colors, she said. This is about a message of hate.

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GPD didnt respond to requests for comment as of Saturday afternoon.

Brandon Middleton, Bradleys 31-year-old close friend, said repainting the mural showed Bradleys friends and family arent afraid to support him.

Were not going to stop from getting the justice needed for Terrell, Middleton said.

The incident showed how race is playing a role in the response to Bradleys incident gaining more attention, he said. But it also renewed his desire to fight for what they believe in.

It just showed how racism still exists, Middleton said. That just shows how disrespectful people are and how ugly and nasty people still can get.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Jackson Reyes at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JacksnReyes.

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jackson reyes

Jackson Reyes is a third-year sports journalism major and a general assignment reporter for the Metro desk. This is his first semester at the Alligator. When he’s not reporting, he enjoys thrifting, collecting records and playing basketball.

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