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Banksy planned Brexit day update for whitewashed EU mural

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Banksy's mural has been painted over

A Banksy mural showing a star being chiselled from the EU flag has been painted over, the artist said.

The artwork, which appeared on a derelict building near Dover's ferry terminal in May 2017, was covered up with scaffolding last month.

Banksy said there were plans to update the piece on "Brexit day" to show a crumpled flag on the ground, but said it "seems they've painted over it".

The artist said the "white flag" that replaced it "says it just as well".

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Banksy, whose identity remains a mystery, has garnered international acclaim, with his works regularly selling for hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The artist rarely comments on his works, which are often interpreted as political satire, but posted plans for a 31 October update on Instagram.

Before it was painted over, the mural featured a workman removing a single star, with cracks spreading out across the EU flag.

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It was assumed by some to be a critique of plans to leave the European Union, but picked up support from Dover's Brexiteer MP Charlie Elphicke, who described the installation of scaffolding earlier this month as "cultural vandalism".

He said English Heritage had declined to list the artwork.

The building in York Street is owned by the Godden family, who previously lost a High Court battle after trying to sell another Banksy mural.