PM rails against 'extremist forces trying to tear us apart'

[JamesWales]

It isn't a little bit fascisty at all.

It is political vandalism directed at an image which celebrates someone who should not be celebrated and in this case is seen by many, many people as the originator of the dispossession and suppression of Palestinian people through the Balfour Declaration. It is in the same mould as daubing red paint on the Colston statue and dropping it in Bristol dock. It is different from environmental campaigners glueing themselves to a Van Gogh (someone who liked sunflowers!).

I am not a fan of defacing or damaging works of art - but I think the final, horizontal, resting place of the defaced Colston statue - complete with information boards about him, the artist and the direct action that removed him from his plinth - is a massive improvement on the original situation where he remained celebrated and his reputation unchallenged.

What this case isn't is 'fascisty'. This is not burning books!

If you want to see something 'a little bit fascisty' turn your attention to the artists, writers and academics who have been cancelled, banned or sacked from their jobs - in Germany, the USA and here in the UK - because they defend Palestinians against apartheid and ethnic cleansing. Not Hamas supporting - but standing up for human rights and humanity. The victims of this fascistic purge have grown massively since 7 October 2023 - but there is a track record that went back long before. Cancelling and smearing political opponents from a position of state or institutional power is certainly 'fascisty'.

I think destroying art because it doesn't align with your own beliefs is actually pretty fascistic behaviour tbh. Make your point, but destroy art for others? Nope.

And when it's aimed at someone associated with the Jewish state, it just gets worse.

Don't dispute the cases you cite, so when I say can you post examples of them, I mean that because I would be genuinely interested to read them. No one should lose their job for such a belief and I would agree with you on that also being a fascistic trait.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I think destroying art because it doesn't align with your own beliefs is actually pretty fascistic behaviour tbh. Make your point, but destroy art for others? Nope.

And when it's aimed at someone associated with the Jewish state, it just gets worse.

Don't dispute the cases you cite, so when I say can you post examples of them, I mean that because I would be genuinely interested to read them. No one should lose their job for such a belief and I would agree with you on that also being a fascistic trait.

The problem with your opening line is the definition of ‘art’.