Controversial New Mural of Malcolm X Splattered With Paint

A mural honoring Malcolm X was splattered with red paint Friday, a day after it was unveiled at San Francisco State University and criticized by some Jewish students as being anti-Semitic.

The right border of the mural--which is largely a portrait of Malcolm X--contains a blend of yellow, green and red and the outline of Africa. The left border features a U.S. flag, several dollar signs, Stars of David, skulls and crossbones and the words African blood.

“It makes me want to vomit,” said David Bergman, president of the San Francisco Hillel Student Center. “I don’t have a problem with a mural of Malcolm X, but I do have problem when it comes at the expense of Jews.”

Earlier this week, Jewish students demanded that the left part of the mural be repainted. But when the mural was unveiled Thursday, Malcolm X’s birthday, the symbols were still there.

A student government committee had approved the mural but did not know that it would contain the symbols, said Tharon Weighill, a student government member.

Early Friday, the painting was splattered with paint, most of it covering the offending symbols. Campus police were investigating.

Members of the Pan-African Student Union and African Student Alliance, who commissioned the mural, refused to comment.