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Officials in Dubuque, Iowa, ordered the removal of a tarp covering a mural celebrating diversity and solidarity this past weekend after it was hung without the city’s permission ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit. The artwork was created as a symbol of peace and unity following George Floyd’s death in 2020 and the protests that followed.
Ahead of the Republican rally Sunday, residents noticed that a large tarp had been placed over the city’s “Solidarity” mural, which covers one side of the Five Flags Civic Center, according to the Des Moines Register. By Saturday afternoon, images of the tarp were circulating on social media. City officials said they had neither been consulted about the covering nor authorized it.
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“The City of Dubuque became aware this evening that a tarp was hung over the side of Five Flags Center,” the city said in a statement. “The City was not asked if the exterior of the facility could be modified and did not authorize the tarp. Five Flags Center is owned by the City of Dubuque and is operated by a private management company, Oak View Group.”
The city directed Oak View Group to remove the tarp and said the company complied.
Scott Hallgren, the center’s general manager for Oak View Group, told KCRG that the decision to cover the mural came from the Office of Presidential Advance, which organizes presidential visits. Hallgren said the White House wanted to use the exterior for branding and display a U.S. flag. He said the center, its operator, and the city had not authorized anything to be hung on the building’s exterior.
In addition to being a symbol of racial peace and unity, the mural, created by artist Shelby Fry, also celebrates diversity by including symbols representing LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities.
