Italy returns stolen Banksy to France on Bastille Day

Italy on Tuesday returned to France a stolen artwork by British artist Banksy that was painted as a tribute to victims of 2015 Paris attacks at Bataclan music hall. chief prosecutor in charge of investigation, Michele Renzo, told French ambassor that it was significant that handover was occurring on Bastille Day, given need to continue fighting for all freedoms.

“This door brings our minds back to memory of tragic and distressing event, and tells us that for liberty, for our individual liberties, we will always have to fight,” Renzo said at a ceremony in French Embassy, where artwork was being displayed for holiday.

French officials last year h anunced ft of piece, a black im appearing to depict a person mourning that was painted on one of Bataclan’s emergency exit doors.Ninety people were killed at Bataclan on v. 13, 2015, when Islamic extremists inved music hall, one of several targets that night in which a total of 130 people died.

Italian authorities h anunced last month that y h discovered painted door in an attic in a country home in Abruzzo.French Ambassor Christian Masset said door was a “witness” to attack but also an escape route.“Through this door which was an emergency exit, many people mand to escape,” he said. “Thanks to this door more lives were saved.”

Standing next to piece after it was unveiled, Renzo said Italy was proud to return painting to its rightful owners.“Recovering this symbol, handing it back to public’s emotion was for us a commitment and today is a great hor,” said Renzo, chief prosecutor in L'Aquila.

(Im Credit: AP)