A new Banksy mural sprouts beside a cropped tree in London. Many see an environmental message

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A new Banksy mural has drawn crowds to a London street, even before the elusive graffiti artist confirmed the work was his. The artwork in the Finsbury Park neighborhood covers the wall of a four-story building and shows a small figure holding a pressure hose beside a real tree. Green paint has been sprayed across the wall, replicating the absent leaves of the tree, which has been severely cropped. Banksy claimed the work by posting before and after photos on his official Instagram account. The new attraction drew on Monday a stream of onlookers who took photos and snapped selfies. Many discerned an environmental message in the vibrant green artwork, which appeared on St. Patrick’s Day.