Months ago, Allentown's Dell Motors co-owner Amman Jesani collaborated with a local artist to bring life to the walls outside of his business.
"We like to support local art and local artists," Jesani said. "That was the idea originally."
But soon after the work was done, a detective came knocking on Jesani's his door.
"I think having received a complaint from someone," Jesani said. "Of course, we were totally shocked."
Jesani immediately called The Alternative Gallery in Allentown, a non-profit group that promotes local artists, and the group Jesani contracted with to create the mural.
Gallery Director, Brandon Wunder, says he immediately contacted police.
"After I spoke with the detective it was something that was very subtle and mostly misconstrued that they could see it as gang symbolism," Wunder said.
The artist behind the piece is Max Meano, who says he was never affiliated with a gang.
"Never was, never will be," Meano said.
Meano also says his work does not intentionally include gang symbols.
Dennis Pearson, President of the East Allentown Rittersville Neighborhood Association, says the owner of the business next door to Jesani, at Boulevard Laundromat, made his concerns known at a recent meeting.
"Many people that came to his place did not like it," Pearson said. "Especially at night time because the subject of the art that was on the building next door was kind of chilling."
We spoke with customers at Boulevard Laundromat and met a mixed reaction.
"The kids would like that," Cassandra Contrino of Catasauqua said. "They would like the signs and it shows that this is a place to get your car fixed."
"I was scared of it for a long time," Donna Neas of Catasauqua said. "But now that I keep seeing it, it is wearing off."
Wunder says police suggested minor tweaks to the hands in the picture so that no one could possibly infer any gang signals. Wunder said those tweaks will be done as soon as the weather conditions improve.
We did reach out to the owner of Boulevard Laundromat, but he was unavailable for comment.
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