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Vandals broke into a tent sometime Saturday morning hosting a documentary film featuring people discussing controversial topics.

(Courtesy JD Urban)

Vandals overturned a table, chairs and damaged equipment in the tent hosting a documentary film featuring people discussing controversial topics.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The documentary "united.states: an everyday people project" is meant to spur conversations about sensitive and sometimes controversial topics people deal with on a daily basis across the country, its creator said.

JD Urban, the Brooklyn, N.Y., based artist said he's heard a wide range of reactions to his work — some heated — at ArtPrize, which doesn't really come as a surprise considering the subjects: Gay marriage to gun control to politics and more.

Someone, however, might have taken their views too far when they damaged his setup at Calder Plaza.

The table with information and fliers discussing the film's topics were tossed around the tent. Chairs were knocked over, and the water barrels holding down the tent were emptied on some of the artist's equipment.

Two banners were missing, too.

"Sure, we have arguments in this country, and that's what this country is all about — tackling problems and finding solutions," Urban said. "Unfortunately, someone took it too far."

The damage comes almost a week after ArtPrize jurors named Urban's work as one of their top 25 favorite entries. The documentary "united.states" is featured in the urban space category and in the running for $20,000 if selected as the top pick in its category.

The film features numerous people talking about topics that are strung together, making it seem the people are having conversations with each other, Urban said.

Urban has visited Grand Rapids in the past, but the damage hasn't changed his views on the city or its people.

"There's not all bad people in this world, right?" Urban said.

Casey Stratton, a Grand Rapids resident, collaborated with Urban on the work by creating the soundtrack for the film. In addition to damage in the tent, they also discovered a broken sound board.

Thankfully, the projector used to feature the film is locked up every night and wasn't damaged, Stratton said.

"You can destroy the tent and the chairs, but that doesn't change the message of the art," Stratton said. "I wish we're more surprised that this happened, but in some ways, I'm not."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Grand Rapids Police Department at 616-456-3400 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.

Andrew Krietz covers breaking and general police/fire news for MLive | The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at akrietz@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.