In Melbourne, a giant graffito of a bird has split the city into two camps

In Melbourne, a giant graffito of a bird has split the city into two camps. The artist who painted a cartoon bird on the pier of a bridge has been arrested. But thousands of people have come out in support of at least his graffito and have asked the authorities to preserve the work.

The 22-year-old Jack Gibson-Barrell was not simply arrested: he first climbed to the top of a 42-metre tower and refused to come down into the hands of the police. In the end, however, he gave in. He is alleged to have broken open the door to the staircase leading to the top, abseiled down and painted an enormous upside-down bird and an inscription. Nor is this an isolated case: he faces more than 200 charges, most of them connected with graffiti.

So far some 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for the silly bird to be kept, describing the work as an expression of spontaneous urban culture. Besides, removing the picture will cost the city tens of thousands of dollars.

Let us see how it ends. I would not say that the picture spoils the city's panorama any more than the structure on which it has been painted.