Alia Shaikh, who lives in the house where the ‘Heroes of Palestine’ mural was painted in Redbridge, east London, said there had been nothing but a positive response to the mural. Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images
Council authorities have moved to remove pro-Palestine murals in east London, while another is being reviewed after complaints were made by pro-Israel lawyers.
The latter, which depicts four journalists standing against a backdrop of ruins and under the words “Heroes of Palestine” went up last month in Redbridge, east London, as local authorities came under pressure over similar murals.
In other areas of London, murals depicting Palestinian medical professionals and media workers have been defaced in some cases or painted over with pro-Israeli graffiti.
Alia Shaikh, who collaborated with a group of artists who made the mural in Redbridge, said a council officer had knocked on her door and told her that complaints had been made about the large mural on the wall of her home, which they had described as an “advertisement”.
“We were really surprised. There has been nothing but a positive response since it went up. It’s also not an advert. It’s an expression of emotion,” she said.
Redbridge council said it was “currently reviewing” the mural and that the local planning authority had never received an application for it.
A group called UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLI) said Redbridge was one of a number of councils – including Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Worcester and Lambeth – it had contacted.
The letters claimed that the murals had proved to be divisive in the communities where they had been sited and asserted that councils were legally required to foster good relations between different religious and ethnic communities.
UKLI said Tower Hamlets council had removed pro-Palestine murals that had been painted in various locations around the borough, after one of the letters of complaint. The murals included one of Hind Osama Al-Khoudary, a journalist, that had already been defaced, and one of Doaah Albaz, another journalist, which has been removed from the Mile End skate park.
Two murals on Watney Street were also removed, while the council also informed the group that it had contacted an antisocial behaviour team about paintings on shutters at another location.
“Councils have powers to remove these murals and should do so as a priority where the murals promote one side of the current war, in view of their impact on community cohesion,” said Caroline Turner, the group’s director.
However, Redbridge council was criticised by the Labour MP for Ilford South, Sam Tarry, who described the local authority’s actions as “an authoritarian act of harassment that would normally only be expected in a dictatorship”.
He said: “It’s outrageous that Redbridge council is attempting to force a private resident to remove an artistic mural that highlights the human rights abuses inflicted on the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. I have received tens of thousands of pieces of correspondence from my constituents in Ilford urging an end to the bloodshed in Gaza.
“The council must immediately abandon its action against my constituent and issue a full apology for the distress and sheer offence it has caused.”
A Tower Hamlets council spokesperson said: “We remove all graffiti from council-owned buildings and property as quickly as possible. For private properties, it is the owner’s responsibility to keep their property clear of graffiti, but with their agreement we can help with removal.”
News Related
-
Asylum seekers travel in an inflatable boat across the English Channel, bound for Dover on the south coast of England (Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP) Up to 40 Conservative MPs are poised to rebel over Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation policy as they question ministers’ commitment to the scheme. A major row is ...
See Details:
Up to 40 Tory MPs ‘set to rebel’ if Sunak’s Rwanda plan doesn’t override ECHR
-
In the saltmarsh fringing where the Ballyboe River dissolves into Trawbreaga Bay, a little egret wears its plumage like a windblown stole. Our car swoops across the 10 arches of Malin bridge and we park along the village green. Malin is almost as far north as you can get on ...
See Details:
Country diary: A tale of three churches
-
Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/EPA Hampton Court is an enduring monument to the power of Henry VIII, a pleasure palace down the Thames from Westminster and the City of London. On Monday it was the scene of power projection of a different kind, as Rishi Sunak pitched for investment from some of ...
See Details:
Sunak woos business elite with royal welcome – but they seek certainty
-
-
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to bring an overseas defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report. Postecoglou’s centre-back options The Lilywhites currently have Micky Van De Ven, Ashley Phillips, Cristian Romero and Eric ...
See Details:
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January
-
A £100m campaign urging households and businesses to use less water will be funded from customers’ bills, Ofwat has said. Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign The regulator’s chief executive David Black told MPs that if the measures worked it would be cheaper than building ...
See Details:
Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign
-
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Group B – Canada Training – Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia – July 24, 2023 Canada’s Christine Sinclair during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo (Reuters) – BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, will be renamed “Christine Sinclair ...
See Details:
Soccer-Venue renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for Canada soccer great's final game
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Phil Taylor makes his pick for 2024 World Darts Championship winner
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Soccer-Howe aims to boost Newcastle's momentum in PSG clash
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Hamilton heads for hibernation with a word of warning
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Carolina Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after 1-10 start to the season
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
This exercise is critical for golfers. 4 tips to doing it right
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
One in three households with children 'will struggle to afford Christmas'
-
OTHER NEWS
Kobbie Mainoo made his first start for Man Utd at Everton (Photo: Getty) The Football Association are reportedly confident that Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo will choose to represent England ...
Read more »
Michael Smith will begin the defence of his world title on the opening night (Picture: Getty Images) The 2024 World Darts Championship is less than three weeks away and the ...
Read more »
For the first time a long haul commercial aircraft is flying across the Atlantic using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A long haul commercial flight is flying to the US ...
Read more »
The King has met business and finance leaders from across the world at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the conclusion of the UK’s Global Investment Summit. Charles was introduced ...
Read more »
After Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to Michigan Saturday, many college football fans were wondering where Lou Holtz was. In his postgame interview after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 17-14 in ...
Read more »
Darius Slay wouldn’t have minded being penalized on controversial no-call No matter which team you were rooting for on Sunday, we can all agree that the officiating job performed by ...
Read more »
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) Quarterback Mac Jones remains committed to finding success with the New England Patriots even though his future is up in the air following ...
Read more »