CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – University of Virgina’s Persian Cultural Society (PCS) is condemning what it called the defacement of its mural on the Beta Bridge, the campus landmark where students are free to paint messages expressing their views on the topics of the day.

The mural on the wall of the Rugby Road crossing, includes a green stripe, a white stripe, and a red stripe – modeled after the Iranian flag – with the words, “Women, Life, Freedom,” painted on the green section and “Free Iran From Generations of Slaughter,” on the white section.

But since February, the organization said, the mural has been “defaced” four times by an unknown individual or individuals. Images the group shared on its Instagram account show that the words “From Israel” and “By Israel and the U.S.” added in black paint.

The incidents occurred Feb. 20, March 3, March 8 and March 11, according to the Instagram post. The mural was first painted on Jan. 19, according to the Cavalier Daily, the school’s student newspaper.

“By repeatedly defacing our painting, these individuals have demonstrated a disregard for the reality of the situation unfolding in Iran and for the feelings of Iranian-American students,” the PCS said in its statement. “By attaching the name of a foreign government to our message, they shift attention away from the atrocities, that are happening, and have long happened, in Iran at the hands of its own government.”

The statement also urged the UVA administration to address the perceived vandalism with “the urgency and seriousness they deserve.”

“The University of Virginia has a responsibility not only to condemn acts of hate but also to take meaningful steps to protect its students and ensure accountability,” the PCS statement said.

A UVA spokesperson told Cville Right Now that the school does not police the messages that appear on Beta Bridge.

“Beta Bridge is an open forum for free speech, and we do not comment on messages that are displayed there,” spokesperson Bethany Glover said in an email. “We continue to encourage members of our community to prioritize civility and respect as they share ideas and engage others’ ideas, even if they disagree strongly.”

The bridge has often served as a unifying site for the campus and even the Commonwealth. Following the 2007 shooting massacre at Virginia Tech, Beta Bridge was painted in the rival Hokies maroon and orange colors, with white lettering spelling out “Hoos For Hokies.”

In 2022, when a trio of UVA football players were shot and killed on campus, the bridge became a living memorial for the victims, the words “Forever in our Hearts,” painted in blue with white outlines, and messages of sympathy and support from students covering the rest of the bridge’s wall.