Wall of Hope – Akse, Withington Walls and Marcus Rashford
Defiance
July 2021, England played Italy in the Euro final in Wembley. They lost on penalties. The abuse directed at some of the footballers in the aftermath was appalling and a national embarrassment. The abuse seeped out of the depths of social media and onto a mural of Marcus Rashford, Manchester United striker and one of Englands penalty takers. Painted by street artist Akse, on the side of Coffee House Cafe in Copson Street, Withington, was defaced with offensive messages. The reaction that followed, however, was the real story.
Over the following hours and days, an outpouring of messages of support and solidarity were all over the wall and the story was spreading. A crowdfunder was set up to cover the cost of restoring the mural along with a portion helping to fund the Withington Walls project and the rest being donated to anti-racism and food bank projects.
“This team has shown us the nation we can be. They have proved that diversity is our strength.”
- Withington Walls crowdfunder
The countless messages left in solidatiry and defiance were inspiring and showed the best of people. Ranging from illustrations to letters and short notes, the messages were saved for the Manchester Art Gallery and Central Library Archives to remain as a piece of Manchester history.
At one of my lowest points, the outpouring of support around this mural really lifted me and I’m truly grateful for that. It reinforced my belief in the strength of community and the endless pictures being shared of visits left me feeling really overwhelmed.
At a time when the country feels the most divided in generations, this outpouring of love shows what can happen when we come together. Love conquers hate.
These Walls
Originally painted in 2020 by street artist Akse and based on an original photo by Daniel Cheetham, the mural can be found on the side of Coffee House Cafe in Copson Street as part of the Withington Walls community street art project.
"Take pride in knowing that your struggle will play the biggest role in your purpose."
- Melanie Rashford
Comments