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A mural depicting Ferguson teen Michael Brown, who was shot and killed by police earlier this year, was removed from a gate on the corner of North Broad and Hanover Streets on Monday Oct. 20, 2014 after concerns from police. (Jenna Pizzi / Times of Trenton)

TRENTON – A mural was painted over Monday afternoon after Trenton police expressed concern that the painting, depicting Michael Brown, a Ferguson, Mo., teen who was fatally shot by police in August, sent the wrong message about community and police relations.

The painting depicted Brown’s face with the caption “Sagging pants … is not probable cause.” Will "Kasso" Condry, the artist behind the mural, said he wanted to start a conversation about racial profiling.

The Trenton Downtown Association elected to remove the image after hearing concern from police officers that the mural sends a negative message about the relationship between police and the community.

The mural was painted by artists from the Sage Coalition about two weeks ago on a gate covering the entrance to a vacant storefront on the corner of North Broad and Hanover streets to cover an illegal advertisement for a nearby liquor store.

Condry said he did not come up with the idea to paint Brown’s image, rather, it was a group effort of many artists from Sage reflecting on Brown’s killing, the reactions and protests in Ferguson and their own experience with racial profiling by police.

“We did it knowing that it was going to start some dialogue,” said Condry.

“I thought maybe it would cause dialogue,” said Byron Marshall, who works with Condry and Sage. “It is not us against you.”

Marshall, who goes by the name Black Collar Biz, said the idea behind the painting is to say that racial profiling still happens and to raise awareness of the issue.

“Mike Brown is a symbol of a lot of things going on not just in Ferguson or in Trenton,” Marshall said.

Condry said he and Sage got permission from the Trenton Downtown Association to paint on the gate, but that TDA did not know what he was going to paint.

Christian Martin, TDA executive director, said after there was a double shooting in the area, police approached the TDA and asked that the image be removed. Martin said police said the painting did not promote peace in the community, especially when they are working to build a good relationship between residents and the police department.

Lt. Mark Kieffer, Trenton Police Department spokesman, said the police did not order the graffiti to be removed but he believes there was a discussion between officers and the TDA about the work.

Martin said the TDA decided to blast the image with the graffiti blaster Monday.

“I think it is the right message, just at the wrong location,” Martin said.

Byron Marshall posted this video to YouTube of the graffiti blaster painting over the mural Monday afternoon.

Jenna Pizzi may be reached at jpizzi@njtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @JennaPizzi. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.