The City of Phoenix denied a proposal in September 2020 to allow a #BlackLivesMatter #streetmural to be painted downtown. For similar reasons, it also rejected a mural request for a mural intended to show support for police. 

The city had been considering a request for a mural with the words "Black Lives Matter" accompanied by portraits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Estrada Chavez, and John Robert Lewis. Another mural request from Mark Spencer with Judicial Watch proposed painting the words "No one is above the law" in front of Phoenix Police Department headquarters. 

Both mural proposals were denied by then-Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher, who cited "overriding concerns with safety, risks, and federal guidelines for markings on the streets." In these two cases, the decisions were less about creating art than sending messages. As Phoenix Councilman Sal DiCiccio explained, "if you allow one type of speech, you have to allow all others."

This has, however, raised some interesting questions about City of Phoenix policies regarding street art. Some believe that public street art can be a magnet for vandalism, creating ongoing maintenance and graffiti abatement costs for local governments. Others believe that street art can celebrate freedom and diversity by adding to the vibrancy of a community.

The question up for debate: Should Phoenix increase the amount of #PublicArt on its streets?