Published 14:07 IST, August 29th 2020
Banksy funds rescue boat operating in Mediterranean Sea to help ‘anyone in peril’
British street artists Banksy is funding a rescue boat, crewed by volunteers, to save refugees encountering danger in the Mediterranean Sea.
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British street artist Banksy is funding a rescue boat, crewed by volunteers, to save refugees encountering danger in Mediterranean Sea. boat, named Louise Michel after a French feminist anarchist, was bought with proceeds from some of Bristol street artist’s works. It has been operational since last week and has alrey carried out a number of rescue missions, including a mission rescuing 89 people from a rubber boat in distress.
boat features a painting depicting a young girl holding on to a heart-shaped safety float. Banksy repainted former French Navy vessel in distinctive white and pink and launched it under its new guise. Louise Michel is 30-metre long and captained and crewed by a team of rescue professionals drawn from across Europe.
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According to official website, vessel’s mission is “to uphold maritime law and rescue anyone in peril without prejudice”. website says, “We onboard Louise Michel believe we are all individuals, nationality should t make a difference to what rights one has and how we treat each or. We answer SOS call of all those in distress, t just to save ir souls - but our own”.
(Im: @MVLouiseMichel/Twitter)
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(Im: @Brindille_/Twitter)
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Banksy highlighting plight of migrants/refugees
Banksy, who is a Bristol-born and who has kept his identity secret, is kwn for his political or social-commentary graffiti that has popped in cities around globe. Last year, one of his painting depicting primates sitting in Britain’s parliament was reportedly sold for over $12 million at an auction. street artist has highlighted plight of refugees and migrants in past works.
Back in 2018, Banksy even painted walls in Paris with murals on me of migration. In 2015, he sent fixtures from his temporary ‘Dismaland’ me park in western England to an informal migrant camp in Calais, rrn France. same year, he also created a mural of late Apple founder Steve Jobs at location.
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14:07 IST, August 29th 2020