RICHMOND, Va. — A statue of African American tennis legend Arthur Ashe on Richmond, Virginia’s, Monument Avenue has been vandalized with the words “White Lives Matter.”
Photos show the monument base tagged with white spray paint and the words “white lives matter” as well as the initials “WLM.” Those initials were then later painted over with “BLM.”
Richmond Police said they were alerted to the vandalism Wednesday morning. Police said they have information on possible suspects.
The Arthur Ashe monument was dedicated in 1996 to memorialize the Richmond native and counterbalance the string of statues on Memorial Avenue dedicated to Confederate leaders.