MINNEAPOLIS — It is a raw, emotional depiction of the death of George Floyd painted by New York artist Don Perlis and turned into a billboard by a group called the "George Floyd Justice Billboard Campaign."
It was prominently displayed in Times Square.
"I wanted to make a painting out of it where I could compress the horror into a single instant. Just to show the humanity of all of it. That's the thing that reaches everyone is the humanity of it," Perlis said.
And it was also all set to be displayed January in downtown Minneapolis... where four former police officers are set to stand trial in March for killing Floyd.
"The designer had already sent the artwork in. It was either at the printer or else being sent to the printer," Perlis said.
Then Thursday, Clear Channel -- the owner of the billboard -- emailed Perlis, quote: "Unfortunately, after going through our PR team, your Bulletin design has been rejected because it 'Depicts Acts of Violence' ... I apologize for the inconvenience. Is there another image (maybe just of George Floyd) that you can switch out the image for?"
"I was completely astonished by it. Because it's been approved over and over again," Perlis said. "If anything, the painting is sad. On a human level, very sad."
Twin Cities defense attorney Joe Tamburino believes the billboard downtown would lead to the officer's lawyers asking the trial to be moved -- or at least cause the judge to sequester the jury.
"These jurors would see that billboard every day when they come to the courthouse, when they leave the courthouse, of course it would be a reminder and it obviously is a very moving picture," Tamburino said.
The same billboard has also been approved by Outfront Media for a different Twin Cities billboard, located on I-494 in Plymouth, for January.
Clear Channel did not respond to a request for comment.