Protesters erase Krog Street Tunnel art.

In a perfect example of cutting off your nose to spite your face, the street art decorating the Krog Street Tunnel is a thing of the past. It's been covered with gray paint.

A group of approximately one hundred people gathered with spray cans and roller brushes around 10 p.m. Wednesday night in protest. In less than an hour they covered every inch of street art that has made the tunnel an iconic piece of Atlanta for years.

They did not want the colorful designs along Krog Street walls to serve as a backdrop for the Krog Masquerade.That masquerade ball is scheduled for Saturday night when the Krog Street Tunnel will host up to 2000 people celebrating the Halloween season, paying $50-$100 a ticket to attend.The protest organizer said the "whitewashing" of the tunnel walls was a way of removing their decor from the event."We're not going to give away this art for free to somebody who is trying it make money off of it. Street art, public art, should be free for all. it shouldn't be privatized," he said.Supporters of the event have taken to social media, stressing that the Krog Masquerade will go on as scheduled and are asking their online connections to "#MeetMeInTheTunnel."