Graceland Hit With BLM Graffiti

Messages of Black Lives Matter and "Defund the Police" were spray painted on several tourist attractions in Tennessee on Monday night, including Graceland, the Elvis Presley estate, authorities says. The graffiti phrases were found Tuesday morning outside Graceland, the Levitt Shell Amphitheater in Overton Park, and the “I Heart Memphis” mural in midtown Memphis. Besides “Defund the Police,” expletive-laced messages about President Trump and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland were also scrawled on the walls, along with demands to arrest the Louisville police officers who killed Breonna Taylor, the AP reports. Memphis police say they are investigating the incident.

Graceland spokesperson David Beckwith said the estate had no comment on the graffiti but Bill Stanley, Elvis’ stepbrother, told WMC-TV he was appalled by the messages. “This is totally uncalled for,” said Stanley. “One of the saddest days of my life. I mean, besides the day that Elvis passed away, this right here is right up next to it.” Graceland visitors have been writing on the wall outside the estate since Presley’s death in 1977. "What’s the real issue here?" asked State Rep. Antonio Parkinson. "Every visitor that has come to Graceland has written on that wall and there were no complaints. So, really, it’s WHAT was written, not the fact that it was written."

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