Banksy: London tree mural covered in plastic and boards

A Banksy mural in north London has been covered with plastic and surrounded by wooden boards.

The mural features swathes of green paint on a residential building behind a nearby tree to give the appearance of leaves.

Previously, Islington Council said it was installing CCTV cameras and looking at other ways to protect the work.

The authority added it wanted the piece “to stay”.

A spokesperson said the council was discussing “future solutions” with the homeowner “to enable everyone to enjoy the artwork”.

The BBC has contacted the council for comment on the plastic covering and wooden boards.

The mural, on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, also features a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose.

The vivid paint colour matched that used by Islington Council for street signs in the area.

Mary Dickenson, who lives locally, told BBC London: “When it first went up it was nice. Someone did try to destroy it, and they’ve blocked everything off now, so you can’t really see anything.”

Patrick Volcker, 47, flew from Germany to see the mural in person but said he was disappointed it had been splattered with white paint.

Claire Carruthers, 31, from Edinburgh, seized the opportunity to see the artwork in person while on holiday in London and described the white paint as “definitely unnecessary” but that it did not detract from the message behind the piece.

Those responsible for the white paint have not been identified.