Police have released images of a man they would like to speak to in connection with threatening graffiti daubed on to street art across Bristol.
Overnight between Sunday and Monday (July 18-19), 12 murals or pieces of street art for this year’s Upfest were damaged – some beyond repair.
Avon and Somerset Police have released CCTV stills of a man they'd like to speak to about these incidents.
READ MORE: Upfest organiser shares devastation after murals hit by sinister vandalism
The words 'Kill Upfest' featured on more than ten art pieces and 'Die Upfest' was painted on the window of Upfest's North Street gallery.
Many of the pieces daubed with black paint formed part of Upfest’s 75 Walls project, which aims to bring 75 new murals to south Bristol in as many days between May and August.
Chief Inspector Olly Cosgrove, area commander for south Bristol, said: “Officers with our neighbourhood team are carrying out an investigation into this mindless and selfish vandalism, which has damaged artwork intended to inspire and generate positivity in the south Bristol area.
“We’ve spoken with the Upfest team and affected businesses to ensure each crime is recorded and evidence is gathered.
"All the incidents are believed to have taken place between 1am and 6am on Monday 19 July.
“We’ve reviewed CCTV from around the area and have identified a man we’d like to locate and speak to about this damage. Do you recognise him?”
Festival Director Stephen Hayles said: ‘It is the vicious nature of the wording painted with a brush on the artworks and billboards which is extremely concerning for myself and my team, as this is now the second occasion. We just want it to stop and not escalate further.”
If you know who this man in the CCTV stills is, or have information or further footage which could help the investigation, you can call police on 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5221162785.
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