SAN DIEGO — Crews with heavy machinery tore down the iconic and colorful murals at Friendship Park last Friday. The artwork was primarily visible on the Mexican side of the wall, but the demolition has left folks on both sides of the border dissatisfied.
Immigrant families and advocates are outraged. They want the construction stopped.
Pedro Rios, who opposes the new wall installation, said Friendship Park is one of a kind.
“It does a disservice to everyone who should be enjoying Friendship Park, the uniqueness of it, the binational side of it. And that simply is not possible and it hasn’t been possible for years," he said.
The park has been a meeting point for families and friends separated by the border for decades.
Rios said the new fence will continue to separate families. He's also concerned about how dangerous the 30-foot wall is.
“What we’ve seen is an increase in people who have fallen as a result of their height and have sustained life threatening injuries,” Rios said.
CBS 8 reported last year that there has been been a five-time increase in severe injuries since the height increase of the wall in 2019.
Customs and Border Protection in a recent statement announced that they remain committed to resuming access after construction on the primary and secondary fences.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego leaders push to stop border wall at Friendship Park
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