The Banksy artwork known as Slave Labour will go on sale at the London Film Museum in London’s Covent Garden on June 2 after being withdrawn from an auction in Miami.
The local councillor Alan Strickland said local people will relaunch their campaign and that the mural “belongs with the people of north London“. Mr Strickland added that people would find the auction “galling” and that residents have been “shocked” by the news.
He said: “This is a piece of art given to the community for public enjoyment, and people will find it galling that you can only view this work at an expensive champagne reception, when it belongs with the people of north London, not a private owner. A resident pointed it out to me and since then lots of residents and local people have been getting in touch.”
“We are quite shocked by the development and really disappointed that after a community campaign it should be put up for sale again.”
He added: “We have been encouraging people to contact the events company to ask them to remove the piece. We saw the level of public anger last time, as the story went around the world, and I expect the same this time. I would hope that people make their voices clear.”
