A new Star Wars-themed mural has appeared in Norwich representing another example of graffiti artists showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The artwork can be seen on Magdalen Street, under the A147 St Crispins Road overpass next to Anglia Square – the wall is a curated space with permission for artistic use given by the Highways Agency, making the graffiti legal.
It features the phrase Black Lives Matter, as well as a caricature of US president Donald Trump as the grim reaper and references to the popular Star Wars films.
The mural contains the symbol used by resistance fighters in the sci-fi franchise, which incorporates the Black Lives Matter logo, as well as the likeness of English actor John Boyega, who portrays ex-stormtrooper and resistance hero Finn in the films.
It comes after Norwich street artist Ruth ‘Knapple’ Knapp painted a Black Lives Matter mural in the Pottergate underpass in the city.
Miss Knapp has been back to repaint it after her work was covered up by council contractors in a “terrible misunderstanding”, and then again when the words ‘white lives matter’ were daubed upon it.This new mural at Anglia Square is the result of a collaboration between a number of Norwich-based street artists, and was intended to go alongside the protests which took place in the city on Sunday.
One of them, known as ‘As One’, said: “I did the portrait and the rebel symbol along with the Black Lives Matter text and the Star Wars quote.
“The wall was a collaboration between myself, Oust, Emsi, Loki, Agoe and Raf, and was painted to coincide with the Norwich BLM demonstration.”
Boyega, the London-born actor featured in the artwork, featured prominently at a protest in Hyde Park in the capital last week where he gave a passionate speech.
The 28-year-old asked people to stand up for innocent black people who had experienced injustices based on the colour of their skin, all the while urging protesters to remain peaceful and “keep control at this moment”.
Worldwide outrage was sparked when American man George Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
The accused officer, Derek Chauvin, has been dismissed from the force and charged with second-degree murder.
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