An official probe has been launched after a mural honouring footballer Marcus Rashford was defaced following England’s defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night, police have announced.
Graffiti – which Greater Manchester Police (GMP) described as “racially aggravated” – appeared on the artwork, in Withington, Manchester, after the match.
It was not immediately clear what had been written, but a local man, Ed Wellard, was pictured covering up the words with bin liners.
Later on Monday, residents from Withington – where Rashford is from – decorated the black squares with messages of love and support for him. One sign, in the shape of a heart, said “Hero”, while another called him a “role model”.
In a statement, published this evening, Rashford apologised for missing his penalty but said he would never be sorry for the “colour of my skin” or “where I came from”.
Commenting on the show of support from locals, he added: “Seeing the response in Withington had me on the verge of tears. I’m Marcus Rashford, [a] 23-year-old black man from…
