Banksy's new artwork vandalized: 'It happened overnight'

Street artist Banksy's mural, painted over the weekend on the wall of a building in north London, has been vandalized.

The artwork, which appeared in Finsbury Park in London over the weekend, featured a green pattern on the wall behind pruned branches that looked like leaves, along with a young woman who appeared to have sprayed the green paint. However, this morning, 35-year-old local resident Matt McKenna saw that white paint had been poured over the wall. Tall metal fences have also been placed around the tree and the wall.

BANKSY CONFIRMED THE MURAL WAS HIS

When the mural was discovered on Monday morning, Banksy confirmed it was his work on the same day following speculation about its appearance on a building on Hornsey Road, by sharing photos of the piece on social media.

"SHAMEFUL"

Speaking to the BBC about the incident, McKenna said,

"When the painting appeared on Sunday, before anyone else had noticed it, my partner saw it and said she really liked it," he stated.

Matt McKenna, who said he saw that the mural, which Londoners had been flocking to see, had been vandalized with white paint while he was out walking his dog, added, "It's truly shameful. It happened overnight."

Before the white paint appeared on the mural, the Islington Council had also announced that their graffiti removal team was aware of the work and that it would not be removed by the team. The council had reported that the tree in front of the artwork, which looks like a green tree when viewed together, is a cherry tree between 40 and 50 years old and is not in good health. Information was also provided that efforts would be made to restore the tree to its former health and help it turn green again.

News Source: 12punto