Tower Hamlets has removed the pro-Palestinian murals that had been painted in various locations around the borough, following a letter from UK Lawyers for Israel pointing out that they are illegal.

• A mural of Hind Osama Al-Khoudary, a journalist, that had already been badly defaced, was removed from Buxton Street
• Another of Doaah Albaz, a journalist, has been removed from the Mile End skate park
• Two murals in Watney Street have been removed
• Two murals painted on shop shutters in Hanbury Street have been shared with the Anti-Social Behaviour Team

UKLFI pointed out to Tower Hamlets that the murals breached the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements ) (England) Regulations 2007 (“the Regulations”) which prohibit the display of advertisements without consent of the planning authority, unless they fall within certain exceptions in the Regulations. However, the murals advertised the Palestinian cause and did not fall within any of the exceptions.

Whoever paints the murals commits a criminal offence contrary to section 224(3) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The owner of the property is also committing a criminal offence under section 224(4)-(6) of that Act unless it was painted without the owner’s knowledge and the owner has taken all reasonable steps to remove it.

UKLFI also explained that Councils are legally required to have due regard to the need to foster good relations between different religious and ethnic communities. The murals do not foster good relations between different communities  and have proved divisive in the locations where they have been painted.  Many have already been defaced.

Caroline Turner, director of UK Lawyers for Israel commented: “We are pleased that Tower Hamlets has now removed the divisive and illegal murals. Councils have powers to remove these murals and should do so as a priority where the murals promote one side of the current war, in view of their impact on community cohesion.”