Community Corner
Anti-Vaccine Mural In Venice Beach Painted Over
The mural read, "Leave the Vax, Take The Cannoli." An Orange County restaurant owner sponsored it, and it was painted over last week.
VENICE, CA — An anti-vaccination mural put up by a Huntington Beach restaurant owner in Venice Beach has been painted over.
The mural, sponsored by Tony Roman, was painted on the side of the Potter Building at 1305 Ocean Front Walk. In a reference to the movie "The Godfather," the mural read, "Leave the Vax, Take The Cannoli" and had an American flag above the logo for Basilico's Pasta e Vino, which Roman owns. The restaurant, which posted a sign earlier this year stating they would only serve the unvaccinated, is about 45 miles away from Venice.
On Nov. 23, the Basilico's Instagram account posted that the mural would be removed.
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"Our mural proved its point, by triggering the enemies of freedoms, exposing them all, and they again did not face us when we were there, they ran and hid like cowards," the post reads.
News site Yo! Venice confirmed the mural had been painted over in an article Monday; who painted it is thus far unknown.
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As the Los Angeles Times reported, the Potter Building is a historical landmark; thus, the city planning department must issue permits for any murals on historic monuments. The Times reported Roman had not gotten a permit.
Patch has reached out to Roman for comment.
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