It has not even been over a week since Banksy's new tree mural appeared on the side of a residential building along Hornsey Road in North London and it has already been defaced with white paint by a still-unidentified vandal.
Actions Taken to Protect the New Banksy
The piece, which was recently authenticated by the artist himself on social media last Monday, March 18, has been "caged" using a protective metal fence by Islington Council, the local governing body in charge of the London borough.
According to a report by the BBC, the council is also in the process of installing a close-circuit surveillance system in the area as an added precaution.
The mural is mostly a mimicry of the nearby "harshly maimed" cherry tree's foliage, standing on a small patch of grass in Finsbury Park. Just below the painted "leaves" is a life-sized stencil of an individual depicted as if they were the one who splotched the green paint on the wall.
In a statement to the British publication, a council spokesperson expressed their disappointment over the defacement and said that the community "very much want it to stay," especially because it's trying to convey "the vital role that trees play in our communities and in tackling the climate emergency."
The spokesperson added that council officials are currently in talks with the building owner regarding developing ways that can "enable everyone to enjoy the artwork."
Other Banksy Artworks That Faced Unfortunate Fates
This recent incident is not the first time a work by the famed graffiti artist has faced trouble, be it through vandals or thieves. In particular, in 2021, two Banksy murals were painted in the coastal towns of Norfolk and Suffolk became victims of vandalization.
However, according to a release by the East Suffolk Council, the culprit for the latter piece's defacement was caught in the act by local security patrols and effectively stunted the damage that would've been irreversibly destructive for the Banksy artwork.
In another incident that happened at the tail-end of last year, Banksy's anti-war piece that was installed on a stop sign along an intersection in Peckham, Southeast London was straight up stolen from its post.
Thankfully, the two suspects were arrested by local authorities just two days after the theft, as the culprits were caught on camera in the middle of dismantling the sign.
Despite largely being welcomed by the communities that "receive" Banksy's artwork, other factors such as negative attention or increased unwanted traffic can prove to be challenging for the property owner.
A Banksy artwork worth $1.2 million was even demolished alongside the crumbling building it was on despite conservation efforts, which proved to be too costly to continue.
Either way, one thing is for sure: where a Banksy may lay, something "interesting" will always follow.
