Locals vow to protect Churchill mural after previous one of Amy Johnson was vandalised
A GIANT 20ft mural of Winston Churchill - made up with words from his iconic We Shall Fight on the Beaches speech - has appeared in Croydon town centre.
A giant 20ft mural of Winston Churchill has appeared in Croydon town centre
Locals were amazed after the mural was painted on the side of a building at the weekend by US artist David Hollier and have vowed to “defend it” from vandals.
Mr Hollier flew in to London from New York last week after being invited over to create some artwork by Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison, owner of RISE Gallery in Croydon.
Last year, Mr Hollier painted a mural of pilot Amy Johnson nearby - which was defaced so many times it had to be painted over.
It is hoped that the mural of Mr Churchill will not suffer the same fate, with locals pledging to “fight the yobs on the High Street” to stop the mural being vandalised.
Mr Zuchowski-Morrison said the mural is made up of extracts from Churchill's personal journal and his speeches, including the famous We Shall Fight on the beaches speech.
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The speech, delivered by Mr Churchill in the House of Commons on June 4 1940, states: "Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.
"We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.
We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air
"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."
Speaking this week, Mr Zuchowski-Morrison said: "When David told me he wanted to come back I was thrilled so wanted to find him a good wall straight away.
Locals were amazed by US artist David Hollier's work and vowed to 'protect' it
"Apparently Croydon is being talked about in New York as being London's next art scene, which is encouraging to hear."
"For us there isn't a direct message, it's just a great work of art. It's neither reverence or a work that is a political iconoclastic.
Last year, Mr Hollier painted a mural of pilot Amy Johnson nearby, but it was vandalised
"It's not our role to get involved in any debate but more for the viewers to maybe share their views with one another."
Local Craig Wellman, 32, said: "If the same yobs who defaced Amy Johnson's mural last year try it again we'll try to stop them."
He joked: "We will fight them on the High Street, at TK Maxx and at East Croydon train station - we shall never surrender."
It is hoped that the mural of Mr Churchill will not suffer the same fate of Johnson's one
Another local Sarah Goode, 38, said: "The mural looks fantastic - everyone is going on about it.
"I just hope it doesn't suffer the same fate as poor old Amy Johnson."