Black Dawn Tattoo, a Milwaukee tattoo shop, has had to shut down and relocate because of a swastika mural next to their business at Holton and Locust. This has sparked strong debates in the Riverwest neighborhood. Matt Stolzenberg, the shop's owner, expressed his sadness, saying, "The second we opened the shop here, it felt like we were coming back home," and added, "And it’s equally as difficult to deal with saying goodbye to it," in an interview obtained by TMJ4.
Further aggravating the situation, Aaron Rodgers, co-owner of the tattoo parlor, spoke of the toll the controversy has to take on their operations. "Every smash against that mural vibrates to this window and turns the alarm system on. I've been losing sleep. It's heart-wrenching," Rodgers explained, according to a WISN interview. The owners complained of not being informed beforehand by the property owner, which added to their distress and led them to finally decide to relocate.
The controversial mural, which includes a swastika inside the Star of David, was intended by the building owner, Ihsan Atta, to provoke conversation about what he deems a genocide occurring in Gaza. However, it has not only sparked debate but also vandalism and condemning actions from the community. Black paint was used to cover the swastika and two panels of the mural were removed by a vandal, as reported by CBS 58.
Due to the chaotic situation, the business owners had to quickly start a GoFundMe to fund their move. Rodgers told CBS 58, "I have had multiple security alarms go off because people have been vandalizing the sign. We just want a safe place to tattoo and this isn’t it anymore." The mural not only disrupted the neighborhood but also forced the local business to relocate.
