Mural of The Queen on Blynk Salon, Sheffield, defaced with offensive graffiti after just two days
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She had hired a well-known Sheffield artist, Paul Staveley, to create the portrait as a tribute to someone she regarded as an inspiration, as a strong woman, ahead of the state funeral on Monday.
It depicted the Queen surrounded by roses.
But just two days later she was left saddened, when it was defaced with offensive graffiti – before the funeral had even taken place.
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Hide AdPolice have now been asked to investigate the incident at the Blynk salon, on Chesterfield Road, Meersbrook, and have access to CCTV which it is believed may give them clues.
Erica said she contacted police on Wednesday over the incident, and said she had quite a few people getting in touch with her over the vandlism since it happened on Sunday night.
She said: “We had the mural painted on Friday. When I got it done, I knew that there was a chance that it might get defaced at some point in the future, but they did it before the funeral had even taken place. I was disappointed that someone had done that so soon after it had been painted.
“So many people had been to see it over the two days prior to that, with people having their pictures taken next to it. Some brought their children there. People were coming into the salon and saying how amazing it looked.
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“I just thought it would be really nice, and I’d always wanted to do something on the side of the shop. I’m not a royalist, but I always saw The Queen as a strong, independent woman, on the throne for 70 years. I think it’s amazing that a woman has been in her position so long, and did not realise how much that meant to me, so I wanted a mural of a strong independent woman.
“I just wanted it there for the funeral – so I was upset that it was defaced before that. I also felt for the artist who had painted it.”
South Yorkshire Police today confirmed the incident was under investigation and enquiries were ongoing.