Politische Graffiti in London
Anti-Beijing activist Apple, from the organization China Deviants, sticks a poster on the wall of Brick Lane. Brick Lane in east London, historically known for its eclectic street art, has been embroiled in a contentious graffiti war. The conflict began on Saturday, Aug. 5, when a group of artists wrote the 12 core socialist values of the Communist Party of China in 24 large red Chinese characters on the over 100-meter-long wall . These values are 'prosperity', 'democracy', 'civility' and 'harmony', the social values 'freedom', 'equality', 'justice' and 'rule of law' and the individual values 'patriotism', 'commitment', 'integrity' and 'friendship'. Almost immediately, anti-Beijing counter-slogans emerged, challenging the original message. To defuse the situation, Tower Hamlets Council decided to paint over both the new and some of the cherished older artworks from the alley. This incident has heightened the discourse around the fine line between freedom of expression and the dissemination of political propaganda.
