Council refuses to back down in Banksy battle
Published on: 29-Oct-2007
Hackney council is still refusing to concede defeat in the battle with Banksy.The local authority is still hell-bent on eradicating the work of the Bristol-born graffiti artist even though he has just sold ten pieces at Bonhams auctioneers for over £500,000.
A council spokeswoman said the area must be purged of the art because it makes it look "dirty".
She added: "We can't make a decision as to whether something is art or graffiti. The government judges us on the number of clean walls we have."
Banksy and the council have crossed swords before.
Last year the council intended to unveil an official work by the artist in a new square in Hackney, but two days before the official ceremony, it emerged that over zealous members of a council street cleaning team had hosed it away.
The council was initially apologetic about the incident insisting the "myth" that Hackney had a "list of protected street art" that staff would not touch was unfounded.
Councillor Alan Laing added that most people regarded graffiti as just "vandalism".
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