Mancunians leave hearts and messages on defaced Marcus Rashford mural

Vandals sprayed graffiti over black-and-white mural just hours after England lost the Euro 2020 final

Members of the public have left brightly-coloured hearts and messages of support on a mural dedicated to Marcus Rashford after it was defaced following the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night.

The mural, painted on the side of a cafe in Copson Street in Withington, south Manchester, was graffitied on within hours of his missed penalty in the match. Police are treating it as a racist incident after Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jason Sancho, who all missed a penalty, have been targeted with racist abuse on social media.

The graffiti has been covered over with black plastic sheets and duct tape while Greater Manchester Police undertake an investigation to find the offender.

In the meantime, people have gone to the mural to stick paper hearts and notes to show their support for Rashford, who successfully campaigned for the government to provide free school meals to children in England during the Christmas holidays last year.

One message reads: “I can take or leave football but I cannot take or leave people like you. Thank you for your passion, compassion and desire to change lives.”

Another said: “Dear Marcus, please know that you are so admired and people find you an inspiration.”

The hearts carry words such as “hero” and “role model” to describe Rashford. The black and white mural was created by street artist Akse to celebrate Rashford’s achievements, as he lived in the local area before moving to Wythenshawe.

People also spoke out against the vandals on Twitter, condemning those who defaced the mural and praising those who left supportive notes and hearts on the wall instead.

One person wrote on Twitter: “They are good people and they know [Rashford is] someone to be proud of. He shows compassion, empathy and respect. Some football fans seem to lack all these qualities.”

“Local super stars supporting their local super star,” said another person. “Well done, that’s how we kick racism out of football. I would contribute if I lived locally.”

A crowdfund has been set up by the Withington Walls Project to raise £5,000 for repairs and ongoing maintenance following the vandalism.

The organisers said: “The England team may have lost, but they have done us proud on and off the pitch. This team has shown us the nation we can be. They have proved that diversity is our strength.

“We are unsure how much it is going to cost at this stage to repair, but anything raised beyond what it costs will likely be spent on funding CCTV coverage, protective paint or further artworks in the village.”