VANDALS DEFACE BANKSY MURAL UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD VOTE

A NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL IN SOUTH LONDON THAT INVITED LOCALS TO VOTE ON WHETHER TO KEEP A BANKSY STREET ART PIECE EMBLAZONED ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING ARE NOW IN THE CURIOUS POSITION OF HAVING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO RESTORE THE PIECE AFTER IT WAS DEFACED BY GRAFFITI RECENTLY. LAST MONTH, THE SUTTON COUNCIL DECIDED TO ACCEPT VOTES FROM CITIZENS ON WHETHER TO KEEP OR REMOVE THE UNIQUE BANKSY WORK, WHICH SHOWS A "PUNK"CONSULTING AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR PRODUCING GRAFFITI NEXT TO A CARDBOARD BOX LABELED IEAK (AN ANAGRAM OF THE SCANDINAVIAN FURNITURE STORE IKEA). "WE BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY AND WANTED LOCAL PEOPLE TO DECIDE WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO THE BANKSY", COUNCIL MEMBER COLIN HALL EXPLAINED. A CHECK OF CURRENT VOTING SHOWED THAT 93% OF THE 250 VOTERS WHO CAST BALLOTS WERE IN FAVOUR OF KEEPING THE WORK ON DISPLAY. AFTER VANDALS TAGGED THE WORK WITH GRAFFITI LATE LAST MONTH, THOUGH, THERE IS NO LONGER MUCH TO SHOW. HALL NOTED THE IRONY OF THE ATTACK: "THE IMAGE ACTUALLY CRITICIZED MINDLESS GRAFFITI, SO PERHAPS IT ISN'T SURPRISING THAT THE SORT OF PEOPLE WHO DO THAT SORT OF THING SHOULD ATTACK IT." THE COUNCIL IS NOW DEBATING WHETHER TO RESTORE THE PIECE OR REMOVE IT ENTIRELY.