New Banksy motif smeared with white paint in London First black head of government in Europe: Gething elected in Wales

A new Banksy motif in London has been defaced just days after it appeared.

The green work of the mysterious street artist is sprayed on a white wall behind a bare tree and, from the right angle, gives the impression that there are leaves on the tree. As seen in new photos on Wednesday, two stripes of white paint have been painted over part of the green artwork.

The background was initially unclear. The area around the tree and the facade was now cordoned off with a fence.

The motive was discovered a few days ago. On Monday, Banksy, whose identity is unknown, confirmed his authorship with photos on his Instagram account.

At the bottom left of the wall you see a person holding a sprayer and looking at the work in typical style. The vibrant greenery is similar to that of the road signs in the Islington area.

It is not the first time that a Banksy work of art has been tampered with shortly after publication. Shortly before Christmas, two men in London stole a stop sign on which the artist had painted three drones.

In the southeastern English coastal town of Margate, a house wall on which Banksy had spray-painted a motif was dismantled and later put on display in an exhibition in London. (rbu/sda/dpa)