Banksy has said the home secretary calling his migrant boat artwork at Glastonbury Festival “vile and unacceptable” was “a bit over the top”.
A small boat filled with migrant dummies in orange life jackets was hoisted above the crowd and passed around by festival-goers during several performances at the Worthy Farm festival last week.
Speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “There are a bunch of people that are joking and celebrating about criminal actions which cost lives.
“People die in the Mediterranean, they die on the Channel. This is not funny. It is vile. This is a celebration of the loss of life in the Channel.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made “stopping the boats” one of the party’s five priorities.
Mr Cleverly went on: “Something like that, I think, is deeply distasteful. I mean children die in the Channel because of the actions of these vile criminals and joking about it and celebrating, I think it is completely unacceptable.
“To joke about it, to celebrate it at a pop festival when there have been children dying in the Channel, is completely unacceptable.”
The boat appeared on Friday while Bristol rock band Idles played on the Other Stage and were performing their song Danny Nedelko, which begins with the lyrics: “My blood brother is an immigrant, a beautiful immigrant.”
The Glastonbury Live account also posted an image on Saturday of the artwork returning for Little Simz’ Pyramid Stage slot.
Read more from Sky News:
When will crucial general election results be announced? Key timings
Biden says he ‘nearly fell asleep’ during TV debate
Captain Tom Moore’s daughter and son-in-law banned from being charity trustees
In an Instagram post on Wednesday Banksy said: “The home secretary called my Glastonbury boat ‘vile and unacceptable’ which seemed a bit over the top.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
The artist added: “The real boat I fund, the MV Louise Michel rescued 17 unaccompanied children from the central Med on Monday night.
“As punishment the Italian authorities have detained it – which seems vile and unacceptable to me.”
Related posts:
Record label changes its name to avoid links to Armenian genocide
‘Goodbye British Sea Power’: Band changes name to avoid ‘nationalism’ link
‘Lucky to be alive’: Skins star seriously injured after being hit by cement truck in New York
Drake makes surprise appearance at Wireless – performing for first time since pandemic began
PM accused of ‘throwing clubs and bars under the bus to save his own skin’ with Plan B rules
Rust crew deny film set was ‘chaotic and dangerous’ after Alec Baldwin prop gun shooting
Country star found dead at 32 a week after going missing
Foreign-language film leads BAFTA nominations – as Irish talent also shines
Drew Barrymore dropped as awards host, and faces backlash for filming talk show despite strikes
Netflix reveals when final season of The Crown will be released
Radio host and comedian ‘overwhelmed’ by support after revealing spine tumour diagnosis
Roman Kemp says he left radio show to stop reliving tragedy of friend’s death
