Fury after it’s revealed Jeremy Corbyn defended ‘anti-Semitic’ public art showing men playing Monopoly
Labour leader has been slammed for supporting the mural in East London on the grounds of 'freedom of speech'
JEREMY Corbyn has sparked fury after defending an artist who painted an anti-Semitic mural.
As he reignited the party's longstanding battle with anti-Semitism allegations, the Labour leader finally admitted last night it was right the painting was removed.
The graphic, called Freedom for Humanity, was painted on a property near Brick Lane in East London by international graffiti artist Kalen Ockerman, known as Mear One.
It showed a number of bankers around a monopoly board, betting with money, and a sign on the edge of the frame reads: "The new world order is the enemy of humanity."
The artist on Facebook: "Tomorrow they want to buff my mural. Freedom of Expression. London Calling. Public Art."
Corbyn replied: "Why? You are in good company. Rockerfeller destroyed Diego Viera's mural because it includes a picture of Lenin."
The Labour leader last night admitted in a grovelling statement the painting was anti-Semitic after he was confronted by Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger.
He said: "In 2012 I made a general comment about the removal of public art on grounds of freedom of speech. My comment referred to the destruction of the mural Man At The Crossroads by Diego Rivera on the Rockefeller Center.
"That is in no way comparable with the mural in the original post. I sincerely regret that I did not look more closely at the image I was commenting on, the contents of which are deeply disturbing and anti-Semitic.
"I wholeheartedly support its removal. I am opposed to the production of anti-Semitic material of any kind, and the defence of free speech cannot be used as a justification for the promotion of anti-Semitism. That is a view I've always held."
