Gaza's Heroes Immortalized: London Murals Shine Despite Several Paintings Being Defaced by Pro-Israeli Graffiti
The project aims to raise awareness and demonstrate solidarity with individuals making a difference amidst the ongoing Israeli violence against Palestinians
To honor Palestinian journalists, murals have been erected across the UK, through a project called "Heroes of Palestine", which while being hailed by many for its vision, has also faced accusations of being anti-semitic.
In London, a mural of Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda is among the showcased artworks. Introduced in January, each mural spotlights a civilian journalist along with their Instagram handle. The lineup features Motaz Azaiza, Wael Dahdouh, Plestia Al-Aqad, Bisan Owda, Hind Khoudary and Doaa Al-Baz.
The most recent collection of graffiti murals is of frontline health workers in Gaza.
The founder of Creative Debuts, Calum Hall discussed how murals and street art serve as powerful tools for raising awareness and drawing attention to neglected or underreported conflicts, human rights abuses, and social injustices.
"We've come to know these journalists during incredibly heartbreaking times, and they are genuinely putting their lives on the line to show the world what's happening. As a white man living in the West, it's crucial for me to leverage whatever platform and privilege I have to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with Palestine and with the Palestinians. What's truly important for me is to highlight and discuss the significant work they are doing," he stated.
The community-led initiative has garnered the interest of both local residents and a worldwide audience and while Hall pointed out that "in terms of social media, the murals are the most engaging pieces we've ever produced, " certain Jewish groups say the murals are illegal and sow division between communities.
The majority of the artwork is situated in East London, where Tower Hamlets council has recently instructed the removal of numerous Palestinian flags from official buildings and lampposts. This action was taken due to concerns that the flags' presence was causing distress to Jewish students and followed a threat of legal action by the UK Lawyers for Israel organization
Reported incidents of vandalism have also occurred, with several artworks being defaced by pro-Israeli graffiti, according to recent findings.
In one case, a vibrant portrayal of 29-year-old Gaza journalist Hind Osama Al-Khoudary, wearing a flak jacket marked with 'Press' and holding a camera, has been repainted. Now, her entire face is covered by a large white Star of David, with the words 'F*** Hamas' written above it.
Another mural, which emerged and was swiftly vandalized, is located in Shoreditch. It portrays Wael Al Dahdouh, the 53-year-old bureau chief of the Al Jazeera news team in Gaza City.
His image has been obscured by a Star of David, with the words 'IRGC Terrorists' written alongside. This references the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, the state that supports Hamas.
Al-Dahdouh has endured profound personal tragedy since the onset of the war, losing his wife, seven-year-old daughter, two sons, and two nephews. Despite nearly losing his life in a missile strike that took the life of his cameraman, he has persisted in reporting from the front lines.
The controversy surrounding the recent surge of mural vandalism bears resemblance to the defacement of Israeli hostage posters at Harvard in January, which were targeted with anti-Semitic messages.
“Reports of antisemitic and Islamophobic acts on our campus have grown, and the sense of belonging among these groups has been undermined,” Harvard's interim President, Alan Garber said. “We need to understand why and how that is happening—and what more we might do to prevent it.
Those who oppose the posters have branded them as instruments of wartime propaganda. There are concerns that the increasing tensions may escalate into violence, mirroring the proxy struggle for survival witnessed in the Middle East conflict.
Based on a recent YouGov survey conducted on February 15, 66 percent of Britons are calling for an end to Israel's conflict. However, the UK government has yet to advocate for an immediate ceasefire, nor has it suspended the transfer of arms to Israel, despite concerns that they are potentially being used in committing "war crimes" against Palestinians.
London has witnessed some of Europe’s largest pro-Palestine protests since October, with regular marches on Saturdays, drawing hundreds of thousands.
The murals showcasing Palestinian journalists were completely self-financed. Creative Debuts has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to sustain the development and documentation of the "Heroes of Palestine" murals, with donations directly supporting the artists, materials and the photographer.
