Memorial Tree for Michael Brown Chopped Down

Less than 24 hours after it was planted, a memorial tree for Michael Brown planted in Ferguson, Mo., was found vandalized, with the memorial stone stolen and the tree chopped down and stripped of branches.

Mo Costello, a local Ferguson business owner, tweeted the following images:

Mike Brown tree dedicated yesterday, decimated today pic.twitter.com/JmyHBgtRbH

— Mo Costello (@mocostello60) April 20, 2015

Police told KMOV that they were investigating the vandalism, but had no suspects so far.

The death of Brown, who was shot and killed by a white police officer last summer, became the catalyst for months of protests about police treatment of African-American men. Brown’s shooter, officer Darren Wilson, was not indicted for his murder by a grand jury, and the Department of Justice declined to press civil rights charges.

According to KMOV, the tree was donated by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and planted in a small ceremony on Saturday.

Watch reactions below via KMOV:
WSMV Channel 4

[Image via Mo Costello]

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