New Banksy work at French embassy in London attacks 'use of tear gas' on refugees in Calais
Artist Banksy has created a new artwork in London attacking the apparent use of tear gas on refugees in the Calais "Jungle".
The enigmatic graffiti artist recreated the iconic image from the French musical Les Misérables opposite the French embassy in Knightsbridge, London, adding a cloud of CS gas to his depiction of character Cosette, along with tears running down the girl's cheeks.
The work appeared overnight on Saturday, The Guardian reported.
A QR code accompanying the piece links through to a graphic seven-minute video of a police raid on the camp earlier this month.
It is the first time the enigmatic graffiti artist has produced an "interactive" artwork.
Julie Moore, 29, a consultant living in London, rushed to see the artwork before catching a flight to Scotland.
She said: "I went on Facebook this morning and saw a mention of this and so decided to rush here before going to the airport.
"The work is incredible. I think the most powerful thing for me is I'm a lover of musicals and to use such such a powerful image of France is just beautiful.
"This is on my morning running route and just a few weeks ago there there was a collection of flowers outside the embassy. It has so much meaning to have it here.
"It is an important message he is getting across."
The developers of the building site where the mural was painted said they would be preserving the Banksy mural.
Mike Sadler, director of Cheval Property Management Limited, said: "Cheval Property Management Limited will be preserving the mural and is currently discussing future plans for the artwork."
Last month Banksy spray-painted an image of Steve Jobs with a sack of belongings over his shoulder on a bridge in the Calais jungle, with the artist explaining through a representative that he chose the late Apple founder to counteract negative sentiments about immigrants.
"We’re often led to believe migration is a drain on the country’s resources, but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian migrant," the rep said.
"Apple is the world’s most profitable company, it pays over $7 billion a year in taxes - and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs."
Last summer Banksy opened "Dismaland" a parody pop-up theme park in Weston-super-Mare, with migration as a major theme.
He later sent crew members and materials from the dismantled dystopian theme park to help build 12 homes, a community area and children's play park for refugees in the Calais camp.
Over the weekend Jeremy Corbyn visited migrant camps in northern France, describing the conditions for refugees as a "disgrace".
Yesterday French police arrested 35 people at a post in Calais after migrants blocked the port and some stormed a UK-bound ferry.
According to a report in the Telegraph, a number of British anarchists were among those arrested.