FORT WALTON BEACH — The Michles & Booth law office was one of three businesses that were vandalized in recent days, although the damage to its building seems to has caught the most attention.
Vandals spray painted vulgar words across the Statue of Liberty on the patriotic tribute mural on the building at Racetrack Road and Marwalt Drive. The damage was discovered Monday afternoon.
“The mural is representative of our family foundation, Michles Family Freedom Foundation, which raises money for first responders and their families after they’ve been killed or injured in the line of duty,” said Marcus Michles. “We use that mural as a fundraiser, redistributing it on T-shirts, mugs, prints.
“The money that will be spent to repair the mural should have gone to our foundation recipients.”
Michles said the artist, Eric Henn, will be in town within the next week to repaint the mural.
Henn took two weeks in May to paint the 25-foot wall. It features military, firefighters and law enforcement officers.
Michles estimated the cost to remove the graffiti will be several hundred to several thousand dollars.
“We’re not dealing with a political vandal here. This is some pretty basic stuff,” Michles said. “Some of it I can’t even make out, and what they wrote on the mural is misspelled.”
The Sheriff’s Office says Whitworth Builders on Auburn Avenue and the Goodwill store on North Beal Parkway also were vandalized.
“I’d obviously like the people that did this to be held responsible,” Michles said. “It’s really hurting people that are deserving. The foundation does good things, which is why we did the mural. When you vandalize that, you take a shot at the people and the needs elsewhere. It seems very short-sighted.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.
