Mexico

Agents Investigate if Images on Border Fence Are Graffiti or Artwork

Investigators are looking into the images to see if they should be taken down or preserved

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is investigating multiple complaints from the public that there is graffiti on Federal property at the U.S.-Mexico Border. 

The complaints are specifically about the south side of the primary border fence in the area commonly referred to as Friendship Circle. 

Some of the images include an upside down American flag and faces painted onto the metal. 

In a statement, U.S. Border Patrol, San Diego Sector said: 

"As we began to investigate the complaint, it became obvious that skilled artists applied some of the 'graffiti' with the intent of creating murals to send a specific political message and/or to beautify the Border Wall."

The statement goes on to say that the Chief Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector has reached out to the groups and artists that created the murals to engage them in conversation before making any final decisions. The goal is to determine whether to take down or preserve the images. 

They added, "Part of this process is simply trying to figure out what is truly graffiti and what should be classified as an intentional mural." 

But U.S. Border Patrol added no final decision has been made as they are still reaching out to the groups to start a conversation. 

NBC 7 spoke with Enrique Chiu, an artist who has put up images on the border fence. He said the upside down flag was painting by the Organization of Deported Veterans in Tijuana. 

Agents added the fence is U.S. Government property and all of the graffiti and/or paintings were applied without permission. 

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