Council’s controversial graffiti policy to be reviewed
ROA's giant rabbit is 'a thing of beauty' according to Julia Craik, managing director of the Premises recording studio and cafe upon which it is painted. Photo:© Tim Sullivan
Hackney Council is to review its policy on street art following last month’s controversy over the rabbit mural on Hackney Road by artist ROA.
The cabinet member for neighbourhoods, Cllr Feryal Demirci, was questioned over the issue at last month’s council meeting by her Labour colleague, Cllr Carole Williams.
Cllr Demirci said the council was committed to respecting the art scene in Hackney, but wanted to maintain the ability to remove graffiti. She said: “There will be a review of the application of our policy and how we define graffiti, street art and what is clearly tagging.”
Acknowledging “wide-ranging opinions” on the subject, she said: “We don’t want to put ourselves in the position of arbiters over this.
“We have set up a small working group tasked with reviewing development and policy. We are listening and learning.”
Previously Hackney Council has always said its “position on graffiti is not to make a judgement call on whether graffiti is art or not, our task is to keep Hackney’s streets clean.”
On the rabbit mural itself, Cllr Demirci said: “We were a long way from painting over the image. We received a phone call from the owners saying they were against action and then a letter was sent by the planning authority that no more action would be taken.”
Kate Nelson from the Wild Hackney group, which has campaigned to save the rabbit mural, said: “We welcome the review and would ask that the council use this opportunity to work closely with residents, artists and businesses to identify a joint way forward that is transparent and puts to rest anxiety over the loss of local landmarks such as the rabbit.”
Cllr Williams also asked about rumours she had seen on the Banksy Forum that the council had a policy to remove all street art before the 2012 Olympics. “I am not aware of any such broad strategy. We are committed to removing graffiti but here is no such policy in place,” Cllr Demirci said.
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