Posted on 10/25/2007 6:07:29 AM PDT by dr.zaeus
Something was placed around the neck of the bronze statue of Tupac Shakur at the Stone Mountain center dedicated to the slain rapper.
But DeKalb police investigating recent incidents of vandalism there and officials with the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts have different takes on what happened. A spokeswoman for the center, Versa Manos, sent a news release to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that described a series of vandalism "attacks" officials said occurred at the center, including a "noose" that was tied around the neck of Shakur's statue.
The statement also reported that the two incidents, which occurred in the early morning hours on Saturday and Monday, were being investigated as hate crimes.
"Hate comes in all colors and genders therefore we will use this act of hate and ignorance to bring our community together and to pray for the healing of those who harbor such feelings," Shakur's mother and the center's founder, Afeni Shakur, said in the news release.
However, DeKalb County police spokesman Marcus Hodge said no noose was around Shakur's neck, but rather an orange nylon string with a wooden cross attached. He added that the incidents are not being investigated as hate crimes.
Hodge said he didn't know where the confusion stemmed from but was not bothered by the center's news release. He said it would not affect the investigation.
"They're just exercising their First Amendment rights to say what they want to say," he said.
When reached by phone Wednesday night, Manos said she was "standing by our press release. That was the information that was given to me from the folks at the center."
Hodge said the first incident was reported early Saturday. Underwear had been put on the head of the statue, and the orange string was around its neck. He also said stickers had been placed on the statue and on nearby walls, but could not describe them.
Two days later, around 3 a.m., police responded to a suspicious-person call at the center, located at 5616 Memorial Drive.
A security guard told police that he heard loud banging noises near the statue, and detained a man he found on the property, Hodge said. The man was arrested on suspicion of public drunkenness and trespassing, Hodge said.
The 37-year-old man told police he was there "because he wanted to talk to Tupac," Hodge said.
Police were called to the center more than an hour later when more damage was discovered to the center's outdoor pavilions, Hodge said.
The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation was founded to provide training and support to artists who aspire to enhance their creative talents.
Now this is news I can use...not!
In the words of a late beloved comedian with a big mouth:
WHO THE HELL CARES!
Tupac is getting a bad rap./s/
And I thought there would be nothing to do or see when I go to Atlanta next weekend for a convention...
Isn't this an oxymoron? Since when is rap considered an art?
Hate crime? Against whom? A statue or a dead guy?
Right. Now if someone had hung a noose.....
“Hate comes in all colors and genders...”
Well, was it a noose or a tire filled with gasoline?
Tupac aka: one-pack
Hmmmm.... but where was the vandalism committed?
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