Mural in Sheffield for incarcerated Palestinian hit by vandals
“A tremendous piece of street art in its own right destroyed in moments”
Activists who organised a mural in honour to a Palestinian detainee have said they are “dismayed” after vandals targeted the art work.
The mural to Marwan Barghouti on on Upper Allen Street was only completed in early May, however by the end of the month had been defaced with pictures online showing spray paint depicting demon horns on the face of the Palestinian politician.
Messages like ‘free Palestine’ were covered, and replace with ‘free UK’.
Now, it appears the art work has been completely covered with a Palestine flag.
Martin Mayer and Julie Pearn, of the Sheffield Nablus Twinning Association - who organised the creation of the mural - said the art had been “desecrated.”
They went on to say: “Sheffield Nablus Twinning Association is dismayed that our recently commissioned mural calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti and other Palestinian prisoners has been desecrated in a mean-minded act of right-wing vandalism.
“The portrayal of the popular jailed Palestinian leader, created by Sheffield’s own Trik09, was a tremendous piece of street art in its own right but was destroyed in moments.
“We wonder whether those who did this took a minute to think about the artist or the man he gave vibrant life to in his mural.”
Critics have claimed that the subject of the mural was not appropriate, as the former protest leader Marwan Barghouti was handed five life sentences in connection with a number of murders back in 2004 and has remained in custody ever since.
However, the Sheffield Nablus Twinning Association have pointed to research that suggests the evidence provided at his trial would be inadmissible under international standards.
Israeli authorities have rejected calls to free Barghouti and view him as a terrorist leader.
Martin and Julie added: “The mural spotlighted the plight of Marwan Barghouti, one of the most prominent of Palestinian prisoners, a figure widely respected across the divided Palestinian community and one who is seen as a potential leader not only to negotiate for and represent Palestinians in the current crisis but as a potential leader in any future Palestinian nation state.
“Polls undertaken amongst Palestinians of all political allegiances show him to be the most popular leader and he is known as ‘the Palestinian Mandela’.”
The twinning association are calling on a formal twinning between Sheffield and Nablus as they hope to promote education about the ongoing situation in Gaza.
“This incident illustrates why twinning with the Palestinian city of Nablus is a priority for our city,” Martin and Julie said.
“A formal twinning would require that Sheffield’s declared support for a Palestinian state turns into positive acts of solidarity, including making policy statements against and promoting education about the suffering endured by Palestinians under Israeli occupation and apartheid.
“Our politicians must step up to the real challenges of being a City of Sanctuary and an anti-racist city. Race hatred has no place here.”