Banksy’s latest work of graffiti art, which depicted a group of pigeons picketing against another bird with placards reading “Migrants Not Welcome”, “Go Back to Africa” and “Keep Off Our Worms” has been destroyed following complaints that it’s “racist” and “offensive”.
The art, which was sprayed onto a wall in Clacton-on-Sea, was removed by Tendring District Council on Tuesday before images of it were posted on Banksy’s official site. The council did not know the mural was created by the famed anonymous graffiti artist.
The communications manager for the council, Nigel Brown, said of their decision to remove the graffiti: “The site was inspected by staff who agreed that it could be seen as offensive and it was removed this morning in line with our policy to remove this type of material within 48 hours.
“We would obviously welcome an appropriate Banksy original on any of our seafronts and would be delighted if he returned in the future.”
Banksy’s art is revered worldwide for its pseudo-intellectual and vague jabs at modern society, which largely take the form of the kind of rudimentary self-expressionist art usually conjured up by bearded, wanky art students.
The lack of subtlety of Banksy’s work make the Clacton-on-Sea council’s inability to understand it even more embarrassing. The only thing more regretful than their ill-advised decision to remove this piece are the middle class folks who still line their living room walls with Banksy’s murals, because fuck the government or something, yeah?
It’s not all bad news for Banksy, though. We’re sure he’ll be bringing this oh-so-clever piece of art to keyrings, coasters and posters to a website near you very soon.
Photos: Banksy.co.uk
