Debate on controversial mural cancelled

The mural had been on display in Tynemouth Station since 2012

Plans to discuss the reinstallation of a controversial mural have been delayed after legal action was threatened following claims the work was antisemitic.

A group of Conservative councillors had called on North Tyneside Council not to put the mural back up at Tynemouth Metro station.

However, the council decided not to discuss the issue on Thursday after legal action was threatened by one of the mural’s artists.

Neither North Tyneside Council nor the artist wished to comment.

The “friendship” mural was created by young Palestinian refugees in 2012 and depicts octopuses, as well as other animals and cartoon figures.

It was removed in October last year after the council received a threat it could be defaced.

'Abused and weaponised'

Councillor Liam Bones said he and two colleagues were warned by the Campaign Against Antisemitism that octopuses could be seen as an antisemitic trope, and called on the local authority to not reinstate the mural.

The organisation has been approached for comment.

The council had planned to discuss the mural on Thursday, but put the debate on hold following an accusation that calling the work antisemitic was defamatory, Mr Bones said.

“We’re disappointed that the motion was withdrawn,” he added.

Earlier this week, a group of North East Jewish academics sent a letter to councillors which insisted the mural was not antisemitic and called for it to be put back up.

The letter said octopuses were “not exclusively used to depict Jewish people” and the artwork's removal was “another example of how antisemitism and Jewish history" was "being abused and weaponised”.

Calling for the mural to remain removed did not “protect Jews in the North East” but instead assisted in the “ongoing destruction of Palestinian culture”, it said.

One of the signatories, Newcastle University lecturer Dr Ellie Azoulay, said: “We are really upset about this."