A Scott Marsh Black Lives Matter mural in NSW has been painted over, with police in tow, less than 24 hours after its initial completion.
Footage sent to Marsh by a passer-by showed the mural, situated in a Redfern alleyway, being removed this morning, as a couple of cops watched on.
Marsh, who described the mural as “a symbol of pain and frustration”, reposted the footage to Instagram today, expressing his disappointment at both the cops and Sydney city council.
“It’s a confronting image, it’s supposed to be,” Marsh captioned the footage. “It was also painted with permission from the property owner and intentionally tucked away in a laneway where you wouldn’t see it unless it found you.”
“In a time when anti police sentiment is high I dont see whats to be gained by censoring public artwork that you dont agree with @nswpolice, other than re enforcing #ftp #acab sentiment…”
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Both Sydney council and the police have been widely condemned for destroying the poignant artwork, particularly given that it was situated in a quiet, unassuming alleyway (away from the public eye) and the property owner consented to its creation.
“The only confronting image here is the police censoring artwork,” one user commented. “How the fuck is that even legal?”
Welcome to Australia, the place where we’re encouraged to have an opinion and express ourselves through art (so long as it’s a certain type of opinion and certain kind of art).
If anyone needed further proof of the current climate we live in, here it is. Such bullshit.
