Miami Police Unveils Street Art Patrol Car by ABSTRK

The Miami Police Department has collaborated with Cuban-American street artist ABSTRK to transform a patrol car into a vibrant purple street art piece, aiming to mend historically tense relations with the local street art community. The project was unveiled on August 7 during the National Night Out event, a public police open house. The car, which will be used regularly by officers, was funded by local businesses in Wynwood and Little Haiti, who donated a stereo system and other components. The initiative follows a tragic incident on December 7, 2014, when undercover officers struck and killed young street artist Delbert Rodriguez while he was tagging a wall on NW Fifth Avenue. The event sparked outrage and led to the formation of the Anonymous Street Crew, an organization advocating for artist safety. ABSTRK, born and raised in Miami to Cuban parents who fled in the 1960s, has remained silent on the project until recently, when he took to Instagram to respond to criticism from the Miami New Times. He stated that the initiative aims to bridge the gap between the community and police, and to change how law enforcement views street art, denying any inconsistency with his past activism during the 2014 protests. ABSTRK has also collaborated with Paris Saint-Germain, designing their jerseys unveiled on July 28. Miami Police Commander Dan Kerr commented that the project is the best way to connect with the public and street artists.