San Antonio’s “Say Their Names” mural is being restored after MLK Day vandalism on East Side
Restoration work begins at MLK Drive site tied to annual march route
A community mural honoring people killed by local law enforcement in San Antonio is being restored after it was vandalized during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. The “Say Their Names” mural stands along Martin Luther King Drive on the city’s East Side, near the starting point of San Antonio’s annual MLK March route.
The vandalism was discovered on January 19, 2026. Black spray paint obscured names and portions of faces on the mural, and lettering connected to the phrase “say their names” was also marked over. In the days that followed, restoration planning shifted into on-site work involving the muralist and volunteers.
What the mural depicts and why it was created
The mural was commissioned as a public memorial and depicts portraits and names of 14 people killed by local law enforcement. The design also includes family members and loved ones portrayed holding the likenesses of those memorialized, making the piece both a portrait series and a record of grieving families’ presence in public space.
The mural was dedicated on March 15, 2025, a date recognized internationally as the International Day Against Police Brutality. Organizers have said they aim to complete the current restoration in time to rededicate the work on March 15, 2026.
- Location: 3514 Martin Luther King Drive, San Antonio
- Vandalism discovered: January 19, 2026
- Community paint day: January 31, 2026
- Original dedication: March 15, 2025
- Target for rededication: March 15, 2026
How restoration is being handled
Volunteer restoration efforts included repainting damaged sections to prepare the wall for the artist’s detailed work on portraits and lettering. Organizers said the immediate priority was to restore legibility and visibility of names and faces covered by spray paint, followed by a second phase focused on repainting the portraits.
Because the mural is not yet fully restored, organizers have said protective measures such as anti-graffiti coating cannot be applied until the painting is complete. In the interim, additional deterrence measures—including lighting and cameras—have been planned to reduce the risk of further damage.
The restoration effort has drawn donated supplies, volunteer labor, and monetary contributions, alongside city funding support designated for the project.
Planned expansion: adding another victim and additional names
The restoration will also change the mural. Organizers and the artist have said the wall will include an additional portrait: 19-year-old Nathaniel Ray Moreno, who was fatally shot by San Antonio police on February 6, 2025, following a pursuit in a stolen vehicle through downtown San Antonio. Organizers have also said that while the wall has limited remaining space for portraits, additional names can be incorporated through painted protest-poster elements created during volunteer workdays.