A graffiti mural protesting police brutality in Seattle was getting a fresh coat of paint yesterday -- to cover it over. The mural, on the 2200 block of Rainier Ave. in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle, clearly read "Stop Killer Cops" and made reference/memorial to the police-involved killings of Henry Lee Sr. and John T. Williams and named names when it came to the law enforcement officers involved.

I'm not sure if the building owners were painting over the space to "clean it up" or to make way for another mural. My guess, pessimistically, is the former not the latter. Though the mural may have been inflammatory it makes a powerful point that should not be ignored by local leaders. Cooperation and trust between local police and citizens is a must to keep our streets safe while doing so in a civil, just way.