Public art must involve the people – not be thrust upon them The spontaneous love for a mural of Marcus Rashford shows that the public have art in their hearts – it just needs to be on their wavelength 15 July 2021 • 5:00am The restored mural in Withington, says Ben Lawrence, was 'the most powerful anti-racist message of the week' Credit: Reuters Something unexpected happened to me earlier this week. I found myself profoundly moved by the not-very-enticing mural of footballer Marcus Rashford in Withington, Greater Manchester. Of all the negatives in our national psyche that emerged after our defeat against Italy in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final, the worst was the racist abuse suffered by Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka. The vile thoughts of an ignorant, unsocialised minority found their way onto the wall of the Coffee House Café where local lad Rashford looms large.