White Supremacist Poster Defaces Public Art in Providence

White Supremacist Poster Defaces Public Art in Providence

A poster for the white supremacist group “Patriot Front” was plastered over public art in downtown Providence on Thursday.

“Patriot Front is a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them, and no one else,” according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). “Patriot Front justifies its ideology of hate and intolerance under the guise of preserving the ethnic and cultural origins of its members’ European ancestors.”

“Patriot Front spreads its hateful propaganda via the internet and by distributing banners, fliers, posters, and stickers,” the ADL continues. 

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The public art is located on an electrical box just feet away from the iconic Industrial National Building on Westminster Street in Providence. 

The painting is of a skateboarder appearing to leap over the "Superman Building."

The artist is Arthur Cayo — who is black. 

“I was sent the photo and first I thought it was just some poster,” Cayo told GoLocal. “Then I saw who the group was.”

Cayo told GoLocal that the process to remove the poster from his art — which he said took roughly 20 hours to complete — was started almost immediately. 

“Someone had started scratching it off almost immediately," said Cayo.

“Honestly, I think [the poster was placed there because] it’s such a good spot,” said Cayo, of the high-visibility location just a block from City Hall. 

“But at the same time, what the heck,” he continued. “If it was a poster for say a show at The Strand, that would be one thing. But for what it means and what it stands for…now I’m fired up.”

“If you have friends and see these [types of posters] around, just now what’s going here right now,” he said.

Cayo says he intends to repaint the electrical box.