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. »
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Home Secretary James Cleverly called the stunt ‘unacceptable’
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 migrant boat appeared above the crowd during Lil Simz’s set. Pic: AP/Celebrity Photos UK/Cover Images
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.
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Idles perform on the Other Stage at Glastonbury. Pic: Reuters
Little Simz on stage at Glastonbury. Pic: AP
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. »
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. »
