PALM BAY, Fla. – Vandals spray-painted the phrase "Black Lives Matter" on the Palm Bay Public Library, according to officials.
The vandalism was discovered Tuesday morning by a librarian at the facility, which is at 1520 Port Malabar Blvd. NE.
Officials said the black, spray-painted graffiti was covered and then painted over.
"This is vandalism. It's something we're going to have to spend on to repair and it will be fixed at the cost to taxpayers," said Don Walker with Brevard County Emergency Management.
"We don't object to people exercising their First Amendment right. What we do object to is them using a public building to exercise that right," Walker said. "There's way to express yourself that don't require defacing public property."
Black Lives Matter is an activist movement that stands against violence and systemic racism toward black people. Rallies are routinely held in response to police shootings of black people, police brutality and racial profiling.
It's not known who vandalized the library.
Palm Bay police continue to investigate the matter. Police said when the person responsible is caught, he or she will face criminal mischief charges.
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