[B]urlington police have arrested 32-year-old Eric Maier for vandalizing the controversial “Everyone Loves a Parade” mural just off the downtown pedestrian Marketplace.
Maier posted photos of the damage to the mural on his Facebook page, and police obtained search warrants for his social media, phone accounts and residence. He received two citations for unlawful mischief — one felony and one misdemeanor.
The mural was vandalized on Oct. 19 and Oct. 31, and police are estimating the damage at between $5,000 and $10,000. Police say the damage is severe enough that the mural may not be able to be repaired.
The misdemeanor charge is connected with the less severe Oct. 19 vandalization, while the felony charge is for the Oct. 31 vandalization.
Margaux Higgins, 21, of Burlington was also arrested and is charged with being an accessory to the crime.
Community activists and three city councilors have called for the immediate removal of the mural, which they say is exclusionary of people of color who live in Burlington and the Abenaki tribe.
In October, the city council set an August 2022 deadline for removal of the mural, which will allow the city to live up to its agreement with the mural’s artist and sponsors.
The city will be adding a plaque explaining that the mural is not representative of the city.
Following the October council vote, Abenaki Chief Don Stevens rebuked activists in an email sent to a wide group of people, including councilors, the mayor and members of the media. Stevens said that the tribe is willing to engage with the council to advance the needs of its people, but the mural issue was “far from that level of action needed on our part.”
The part of the mural that was vandalized is now covered by a tarp and not visible to the public.
Thomas Chenette, the police investigator on the case, said Higgins’ role was minimal but that she had knowledge of the crime before and after it occurred. He said that he would be able to comment further on the case after the suspects are arraigned.
Maier is scheduled to appear at Chittenden County Superior Court next Thursday and Higgins is scheduled to appear on Dec. 18.
On Nov. 1, Maier posted a photo on Facebook of the damage to the mural that he claimed a friend who saw it the previous night had sent him.
“The (basic, genocidey) mural was edited again last night, on Halloween,” he wrote.
He wrote that while the spray paint used in the earlier instance of vandalism was washed off, “according to accounts” paint stripper was used to permanently remove faces from the mural this time. He also tagged Higgins in the post.
