MIAMI -- Police are investigating after vandals defaced a mural of baseball legends Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso that is part of a collection of artwork honoring baseball players in Miami's Overtown neighborhood.
The vandalism was discovered Sunday by a 7-year-old boy who asked his mother what the words and the Nazi symbols meant, community leaders said during a news conference.
City workers have since partially covered the murals of Robinson and Miñoso, an Afro-Cuban player, with wooden boards. The murals are along a fence at Dorsey Park, where Negro League teams once played baseball.
"I know you may not be able to show it on television, but we need the community to uncover the hurt and the hatred that is existing," said Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, an executive director with the city of Miami Black Police Precinct. "The reason why this keeps being perpetuated is because we keep covering it up."
On Wednesday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement that she is outraged by the "vile act of hatred."
"We must treat this for what it is: a hate crime meant to instill fear and division. But we will not be intimidated. We will respond with unity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and the preservation of our history," she said.
Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947 when he became the first Black player, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Miñoso became MLB's first Afro-Latino player and the first Black player for the Chicago White Sox.
The murals have been displayed in the park since 2011 and are a collaboration between artists Kyle Holbrook and Kadir Nelson and various community groups.
Police have yet to make any arrests for the vandalism.
"This was more than a defaced mural -- it was an attempt to silence our story," said Saliha Nelson, CEO of Urgent Inc. "But we will not be erased. We will restore this mural and celebrate this space as a symbol of agency, pride and excellence."