Street signs in Liverpool’s Penny Lane have been vandalised as speculation mounted that the road was named after a slave trader.
Four signs on the thoroughfare, made famous by The Beatles song of the same name, were spray-painted over on Friday morning, with the word “racist” painted on the wall above one sign.
By midday, the graffiti had been cleaned off by residents Emmett O’Neill and Lucy Comerford.
One of the signs was signed by Sir Paul McCartney, who autographed it when he visited the area for an episode of James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke in 2018.
A perspex screen over the sign to protect the signature ensured it was not damaged by the graffiti.
Mayor Joe Anderson said this week there is no evidence the road is named after slave trader James Penny, explaining it instead refers to a toll.
The International Slavery Museum, based in the city, said an investigation is being carried out into the origins of the name.
Mr Anderson said he would back decisions to rename other buildings and roads in the city that have links to the slave trade.
Responding to a post on Twitter, he said: “We will have a discussion and debate with the black community and others to see what action we should take.”
