Banksy Brexit mural of worker chipping away at EU flag appears in Dover

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A section of an artwork attributed to street artist Banksy, depicting a workman chipping away at one of the 12 stars on the flag of the European Union, is seen on a wall in the ferry port of Dover, Britain, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:22am, 8 May 2017Updated: 10:21am, 8 May 2017

A Brexit-inspired mural by Banksy showing a worker chipping away at a star on the EU flag has appeared in Dover.

The artwork emerged overnight on the Castle Amusements building near the ferry terminal, which connects the UK with mainland Europe.

The large mural, which was confirmed by Banksy’s representatives to be a genuine work by the elusive artist, is his first comment on the Brexit vote last year.

The stars of the flag “stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe”, according to the EU website.

A girl looks at artwork attributed to street artist Banksy, depicting a workman chipping away at one of the 12 stars on the European Union, seen on a wall in the ferry port of Dover, Britain, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

The mural has appeared at a difficult time, when Brexit and the increasingly frosty relationship between Theresa May’s government and the EU over negotiations on Britain’s departure have become central to the general election on 8 June.

The Dover artwork is across the Channel from Calais, where a Banksy mural appeared at the main refugee camp in 2015, showing the Apple founder, Steve Jobs, whose biological father was a Syrian immigrant.