Original artist of Denver MLK monument repairs vandalism

DENVER — The Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Denver’s City Park is whole again after it was vandalized earlier this year.

Ed Dwight, the artist who created the sculpture, helped repair it. 

In February, someone stole a torch and a plaque from the monument. Two men were later arrested after they tried to sell the pieces as scrap metal, said Denver Police. The men’s cases are now moving through the court system. 

Denver Parks and Recreation maintenance staff noticed the pieces missing from the monument on Feb. 21 and reported the theft to police. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said the police department sent out an alert to local scrap metal companies, and two days later, one of the scrap companies reported the stolen items had been turned in.

The large plaque stolen from the “I Have a Dream” monument was cut into four pieces before it was sold to the company, police said. The investigation found the thefts from the memorial happened between 3 and 6 a.m. on Feb. 18.

“I will say though, that shame on them for not understanding the historical and cultural significance of this particular monument to this community, and I think that certainly indifference can be just as harmful as hate,” Thomas said. “And so I’m thankful that there was no indifference on the part of the Denver Police Department to actively investigate this case. Certainly no indifference on the part of the community to raise their community voice and let people know how significant and hurtful this particular act was. And thankful for the scrap community who was not indifferent either and made sure they reported what was turned in to them.”

The MLK Colorado Holiday Commission held a fundraiser to replace the stolen pieces. Community leaders said the money raised – nearly $10,000 – would help pay for repairs to the memorial and for security, more lighting and surveillance cameras.