A BANKSY MURAL which appeared in Islington near London in the United Kingdom over the weekend will be permanently protected by the local council after it was defaced just days after it arrived.

The mural, which uses green paint to make a dead tree come alive again, through an optical illusion, was defaced this morning with white paint just days after homeowners and locals spotted it.

Islington Council has now said it is working with homeowners in order to install permanent protection measures so no more destruction is caused at the site.

On X today, the Council said it had taken temporary measures such as installing a fence, managing crowds and deploying Park Patrol officials frequently to prevent any acts of vandalism from taking place.

Welcome to Islington #Banksy! This amazing artwork appeared over the weekend on Hornsey Road N7. Islington has always been a borough that celebrates creativity and the way culture is used to tell meaningful stories. /1 pic.twitter.com/ClP952KhB2

— Islington Council (@IslingtonBC) March 18, 2024

The mural appeared on Hornsey Road over the weekend and has since attracted a lot of attention from locals, and residents of nearby towns visiting the site, to capture pictures and witness the work of art.

Banksy, the famed and anonymous street artist, confirmed the work was his on Monday after he posted before and after photos of the wall to his Instagram. 

Disaster struck this morning when homeowners near the mural woke up to find someone had vandalised the artwork with white paint overnight, causing uproar in the local community.

Islington Council, who on Monday welcomed the “amazing” artwork, said it was sad to see the work be defaced and has moved to install permanent protection mitigations so that future damage to the work can be prevented.

“We’re now discussing future solutions with the homeowner, to enable everyone to see the work while protecting it, the tree, and the surrounding area,” it said on X.

“This is a really powerful piece, and we really hope it’s left alone so that everyone can enjoy it.”

The artwork attracted many visitors including former leader of the opposition and the British Labour Party and current Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn.

Banksy has come to Islington! What wonderful artwork, proving there is hope for our natural world everywhere. pic.twitter.com/Kxh3d8BsKj

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 18, 2024

“What wonderful artwork, proving there is hope for our natural world everywhere,” Corbyn said on X.