Sic Semper Artificibus In Muris Scribentibus

Thus Always To Graffiti Artists! These pictures were taken on Thursday (September 13th, 2012) and by Sunday (16th) the graffiti was gone, painted out! Belfast City Council have over this past year or so been diligent in painting out fly-postings – mostly paper ones advertising concerts and other events – but here they have painted out a political message.

The scene is the gateway to the now derelict and abandoned site of the old Sirocco works at Bridge End, on the city side of Short Strand.

You can glimpse the newer bubble-capitalism in the new-build apartments in the distance.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00639 X00640 sirocco, corrupt governments of the world you’re sacked one love, oil boiler scrappage scheme, call now to scrap your old boiler and save money

Hands Across The Yard

This mural expresses solidarity between Irish republican and Palestinian prisoners of war. It was painted by a local artist in collaboration with Carlos Latuff, a Brazilian political cartoonist. There’s a picture of Latuff and the local artist in front of the mural, as well as his cartoon version, here. (Update – he also drew a cartoon on the wall of a café in Belfast.) He also visited Derry.

Northumberland Street, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Askatasuna

This is a new mural in support of the Basque country and in particular political prisoners, unveiled today as part of Féıle 202 in Beechmount, west Belfast. The designs to the left and the right are described in a comment below – thanks BasqueMurals.

Previous Basque mural on Divis St, lower Falls.

Below, a young traditional singer from the Basque country singing at the launch of the new mural.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00576 X00577 saoırse; askatasuna; belfast basque solidarity committee; free all basque political prisoners

Community Transport System

In March or April of 2012, many of the murals on the International Wall were modified to include ‘posters’ for the ‘Free Marian Price’ campaign, including the ’40 year’ black taxi mural shown above. As a member of the IRA, Price was jailed for the Old Bailey bombing in 1973, and her post-Agreement license was revoked in May, 2011, when she was charged, as a member of the Real IRA, in connection with the Massereene Barracks shooting of 2009 – she was sent to Maghaberry. Starting in June, 2011, graffiti and art calling for her release began appearing.

Below are more of the modified murals on the wall. Not included below are the Falls Curfew modification and the Kieran Nugent modification (see M08273).

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Administrative Detention

“4,400 Palestinian political prisoners, 310 administrative detention. No to Israeli administrative detention! Hunger strike!” with portraits of Hanna Shalabi and Khadner Adnan. Adnan went on strike to protest his violent arrest and interrogation, and detention without trial (“administrative detention”); he reached a deal after 66 days (BBC). Shalabi went on hunger strike to protest her detention without trial; she reached a deal and ended the strike after 43 days (The World). Both were alleged to be members of Islamic Jihad.

International Wall, Divis St

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Éırígí Supports Palestine POWs

The Éırígí spot in the former RUC barracks is changed from Vote Éırígí to support for Palestinian prisoners of war.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Solidarity With Palestine

A large flag of Palestine is painted at the top of the Mountpottinger Road wall in CNR east Belfast.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Frederick Douglass

Here are some in-progress shots of the new Frederick Douglass mural being painted on Northumberland Street, being painted by a Short Strand artist, Marty Lyons, and Mark Ervine. (An image of the three artists during work on the  mural can be seen at An Phoblacht.)

Nelson Mandela is in the second image. The person in the third image is Harriet Tubman rather than Rosa Parks, though Tubman did not wear spectacles; Parks will also be included.

For the completed work, see Liberating Minds.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Not Spain, Not France

“1650-2009: 350 years of occupation, 350 years of resistance. Catalan language has been spoken since VIII century. Nowadays, after 350 years of occupation and prohibition, there are 9 million Catalan speakers. The spirit of revolt against the Spanish kingdom and French state is still alive. The struggle of the Catalan people continues against the existing discriminations. Not Spain, not France.” “Saoırse na hÉıreann, Llibrtat Països Catalans”.

Clowney Street, Belfast 

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Boycott

“Boycott Assrealy [Israeli] goods. Not so sexy now.” This graffito perhaps belongs to 2008 (see also Anti-Israel) but has recently been revealed by the removal of some Blackie Centre boards (Street View).

Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00345 litter belfast city council