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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Tom Pettifor

CCTV shows man police want to talk to after Marcus Rashford's mural defaced

This is the man police want to speak to about graffiti sprayed on the Marcus Rashford mural.

The artwork, in Withington, Manchester, was defaced following England's defeat in the Euro 2020 final.

Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka suffered racist abuse online after missing in the penalty shoot out.

The mural soon became a wall of tributes as residents flocked to the spot in support of Rashford.

CCTV taken from on the night of the final captured a youth with his hood up acting suspiciously just yards from the mural.

He appears at 11.39pm, standing in the street looking in different directions as if checking to see if the coast is clear.

The man then disappears in the direction of the artwork before coming back into view.

He vanishes for a final time and a second man walking past can be seen looking in his direction.

A GMP spokesperson said: "We have followed all lines of enquiry available following the vandalism of a mural on Copson Street, Withington, in the aftermath of the European Championship Final earlier this year in July.

"Since the incident, officers have carried out a vast amount of CCTV checks and now have footage of a man they would like to speak to.

"The footage is not the best quality but is part of our efforts to exhaust all of the opportunities we have to find whoever is responsible."

Rashford after he missed his penalty kick (UEFA via Getty Images)
The mural was covered in messages of support after it was graffitied (PA)

The Three Lions fell at the final hurdle as they were undone by Italy in a penalty shootout at the end of Euro 2020.

Rashford, who was rarely used by Gareth Southgate during the tournament, came on late in extra-time and took the third spot kick.

His effort hit the post however and England would go on to miss their next two efforts.

Rashford has been a hugely influential figure away from football over the past two years, earning huge plaudits for his efforts in combating child food poverty.

A portrait of the Manchester United star can be found near Copson Street in the centre of a south Manchester suburb on the wall of the Coffee House Café.

At the time Chief Superintendent Paul Savill, of GMP's City of Manchester division, said: "This is disgraceful behaviour and will absolutely not be tolerated.

"Greater Manchester prides itself on being made up from a number of diverse communities, and hate crime in any form is completely unacceptable and not welcome here in our city."

In the days after it was sprayed the graffiti was covered up by messages of support.

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