PARIS (CelebrityAccess) — A mural painted on an emergency exit door of the Bataclan theater in Paris that was attributed to the noted underground artist Banksy, has been stolen, the venue reported on Twitter.
According to a report in Reuters, a police source said that the door containing the mural was stolen on Friday by thieves in a van and the venue confirmed the theft on Saturday morning.
The mural, which features a veiled woman with her head bowed in sadness, is believed to be a tribute by Banksy to the victims and survivors of the 2015 Paris terror attacks that targeted a concert at the Bataclan and left more than 90 people at the concert hall dead.
While the mural was not signed, it looked similar to other Banksy works and in June, the artist posted photos of the mural on his social media, one of numerous paintings that appeared on walls around Paris during World Refugee Day.
In a statement posted to The Bataclan’s Twitter account on Saturday, a rep for the venue expressed their grief at the theft.
“We’re animated by a deep indignation today. The work of Banksy, a symbol of remembrance and belonging to everyone, residents, Parisians, citizens of the world, has been removed,” the statement by the Bataclan Team said.
They went on to note that the painting’s value was connected to its location on the exit door that many concertgoers fled through during the attack and added that the venue’s operators left the painting in place on the door to make the artwork available to the public.
L’œuvre de @originaIbanksy hommage aux victimes du 13/11 a été volée. pic.twitter.com/FMHoobzRXm
— Bataclan (@bataclan_) January 26, 2019
