LEXINGTON, Ky. _ Less than two days after the completion of a downtown Lexington mural that featured an anti-Donald Trump expletive, the message has been painted over by a different painter.
Now the New York City-based artist who painted the Church Street mural is not pleased that her "F--- Trump" message has been removed.
ELLE, who took around a week to paint the mural, used UV glow paint to write the message about Trump. John Winters, one of the creators of PRHBTN, for whom the mural was created, said the message was supposed to be an "Easter egg" and essentially invisible, but it did not dry correctly.
A man was seen by WKYT, the Lexington Herald-Leader's reporting partner, on a ladder painting over part of the mural Tuesday night. He told the news station he was hired by the building's owner to remove the anti-Trump message.
The building's owner, Michael Davidson, told WKYT he did not know the mural would contain the message against Trump, but he initially did not have plans to remove it. Winters also said Tuesday he was unaware the painting would include the inscription, but he welcomed discussion regarding it.
"Welp, apparently the message is now gone," ELLE wrote on her Instagram story. "Free speech isn't a thing in Trump territory."
In a picture ELLE shared on Instagram, a Lexington police cruiser could be seen outside the building the mural is on.
ELLE wrote Tuesday in a statement provided by PRHBTN that she was expressing her anger in her writing on the mural.
"In America, we are all entitled to share our opinion, and it's important to exercise this right. Let me be clear, this is not about politics, this is about expressing my anger: I am fed up!" ELLE said in her statement. "I demand a better leader who is not a misogynistic 'p---- grabbing' inappropriate person. I want a leader, from any party-who is respectful, anti-racist, believes and acts to mitigate climate change and who believes in gender equality. We need to hold 'leaders' to a higher moral standard. I am fed up with this delusional sexist, racist man."
PRHBTN received hundreds of Facebook comments after posting about the completion of the mural. People called the anti-Trump message disrespectful, pathetic and disgusting, and others called for a petition to remove it.
While many of the comments called for the expletive to be removed, others enjoyed it and one person hoped Trump would see it when he is in Lexington next month.
Before the message was removed, city spokeswoman Susan Straub said the city was unable to intervene because it was a free speech issue.
"This is a mural on a private building; no public dollars are involved in this mural," Straub stated. "As much as we don't agree with the use of vulgarity, this is a free speech issue."
