ELUSIVE ARTIST BANKSY BACKS ANTI-RACISM PROTESTS IN UK

nLONDON: Banksy, the elusive Bristol-based graffiti artist, urged people in London and elsewhere in the UK to protest against the killing of George Floyd, despite home secretary Priti Patel and Scotland Yard advising against gatherings in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Banksy, whose real identity remains unknown but has gained worldwide acclaim for his work appearing on public buildings, commented on the Black Lives Matter movement in a social media post accompanied by artwork featuring a burning US flag.

He wrote, “At first, I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue. But why would I do that? It’s not their problem, it’s mine. People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system.

“Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. The faulty system is making their life a misery, but it’s not their job to fix it. They can’t no one will let them in the apartment upstairs.”

In Parliament Square in London and elsewhere, tens of thousands of people ignored official advice to avoid mass gatherings and came together to protest against the Floyd’s killing, carrying placards and taking the knee. And not everyone wore face masks.

Patel said, “Of course, I completely understand people’s desire to express their views and to have that right to protest. But the fact of the matter is, we are in a health pandemic across the United Kingdom and coronavirus is a deadly virus.”

She added, “I’d say to those that want to protest: please don’t. The regulations are very clear in terms of gatherings and mass gatherings in particular. We must put public health first at this particular time.”

Cressida Dick, Scotland Yard commissioner, told police officers not to take the knee as an act of solidarity with protesters in the US, and advised people to protest without gathering in large groups because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said, “We encourage our officers to talk to people, to engage in a positive manner with people. We won’t be kneeling during protests.

“However, heartfelt something like that might be, I don’t think it is likely to be safe. We are fighting a deadly virus, it can get spread in gatherings.”

The coronavirus has claimed more than 40,000 lives in the UK and has infected over 280,000 people there, according to Covid-19 tracker Worldometer.