HUDSON HEIGHTS — This wall used to be covered in color and unicorns.
But since the city ordered a mural painted over, the picture of animals that was a celebration of diversity loved by much of the community has been replaced by hate-fueled graffiti.
"The only good Palestinian is a dead Palestinian" is now scrawled across the wall where there were once owls, pigs and unicorns, brightly painted next to the words for the animals in locally spoken languages including Spanish, Hebrew and French.
Another says "Free Palestine." "Hillary Never" and "Trump No Way" is written beside it.
The mural on a construction wall at 29 Overlook Terrace, near the 181st Street A train station, was painted over on July 1 by the Department of Buildings because city code says that type of wall has to be painted a solid block of color.
The city also fined the lot's owner, Ruddy Thompson, $1,500 for failing to follow code, he said.
The graffiti, which was written in red, black and blue markers, took up two of the panels along the construction wall Wednesday afternoon.
The lot has been empty for eight years, according to Thompson.
The mural was supposed to celebrate diversity in the community, according to artist Carlos Quispe, who painted it in May and lives nearby.
"The neighbors were so grateful and surprised with the mural some people even gave us money from their pockets to cover the costs of the paint and our time," said Quispe, whose artwork is also part of the Washington Heights Arts and Comics organization.
"It truly felt like the mural was fulfilling its true potential, which is to bring the neighbors together."
But construction walls need to be a solid color to "indicate that the area is a construction site," a DOB spokesman said.
Neighbors said they were disappointed when the mural was painted over, becoming a magnet for vandals.
“I thought it was a shame to go from this inclusive, lovely place to hate words in such a short time,” said local resident, Eric Dryden. “It’s pretty terrible.”
Thompson hopes to start building on the site in September, with plans to turn it into a condo, he said.
Thompson has directed his superintendent who tends to the property at 39 Overlook Terrace to check the wall each morning and paint over any new hate speech, he said.
“I told him if he sees anyone, he should call the 34th Precinct,” Thompson said.
