An activist vandalized a plaque associated with the large mural just off Burlington's Church Street on Monday in protest of what he believes is a racist depiction of Vermont history that omits the existence of Native Americans.

The mural begins with a painting of French explorer Samuel de Champlain, who arrived at the lake bearing his name in 1609, and ignores 12,000 years of indigenous civilization prior to Champlain's arrival, Albert Petrarca said Monday morning.

Petrarca visited the offices of the Burlington Free Press about an hour after he spray painted "Off the Wall" on the mural's plaque in black paint — a reference to his demand that people associated with the mural, beginning with Mayor Miro Weinberger, disassociate themselves from the mural and ask their likenesses to be removed.

Monday evening, Weinberger’s office said in a statement: “The City appreciates the outreach regarding this public art. The City is deeply committed inclusion and diversity, and I have directed Ron Redmond to review the issues raised by today’s protest and provide a report and recommendations within 30 days. While I appreciate the hard work and private resources that went into creating the mural, the issues raised today deserve careful review.”

Redmond is executive director of Church Street Marketplace, the organization that commissioned the mural. The mural is on a wall on Leahy Way, a pedestrian alley off Church Street.

Redmond said the mural was inspired by the quadricentennial in 2009 of Champlain's arrival, and focused on Vermont history from that point forward. The mural wasn't completed until 2012 because of difficulties raising the money to pay for it.

Redmond said there are many aspects of Vermont history he wishes could have been included in the mural — for example the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-black regiment of the U.S. Army that was assigned to Fort Ethan Allen in Colchester from 1909-1913.

"In retrospect you look at that mural and there's so much more we can do," Redmond said. "We're certainly open to it. I'm disheartened we didn't get a call (from Petrarca) saying, 'Hey what's going on?'"

Off the Wall is also the name of a loosely formed coalition of five or six people who object to the mural as a symbol of white supremacy, Petrarca said.

"As you know all over this country cities are putting new eyes on flags, monuments and memorials of many different types, and we are by this action, resetting the debate on why we have in the center of Burlington's town square a racist mural that has been up there for five years," Petrarca said.

Petrarca turned himself into police after leaving the Free Press offices on Monday. Police took his statement and were conducting an investigation Tuesday to determine whether Petrarca's vandalism is a felony or misdemeanor crime; damage of more than $1,000 is a felony.

"All graffiti can be removed," Chief Brandon del Pozo said. "The question is, are there any lasting effects to it, and what type of labor and resources were necessary to remove it? That will play into how the charge is determined."

Deputy Chief Shawn Burke said that if Petrarca is cited on suspicion of a felony he would be arrested and referred to district court. A misdemeanor charge could result in a municipal ticket and/or referral to district court for the crime of unlawful mischief. The municipal ticket carries a fine of $250.

Petrarca also said his coalition is asking for the release of all communication among the city, Burlington City Arts and Church Street Marketplace leading up to the creation of the mural, to find out "what kind of conversation took place."

"We want to find out how that process began, who was involved, who laid eyes on it, who eventually green lighted this project, and how it has stood there for five years without a peep," Petrarca said.

Petrarca said he was living in Burlington when the mural was created and that he said nothing in protest at the time.

"I plead guilty," Petrarca said. "Like most people I did not pay enough attention to it."

Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com.



