London 2012: Outrage over artist banned from Olympics

Authorities have "lost the plot" over the Olympics and are needlessly arresting people, according to a human rights lawyer.

Kieran O'Rourke said authorities had a "hyper-sensitivity" over the Games.

His comments come after an artist who had been approached by Team GB to paint the Athletes' Village was arrested and banned from going near Olympic venues.

British Transport Police (BTP) said the arrest was not pre-emptive and it was protecting the Games' "integrity".

Professional artist Darren Cullen, 38, from Kent, was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of inciting to commit criminal damage along with several other people.

He said officers arrested and questioned him over a graffiti website which he registered for a customer several years ago.

"Even if it was my website, what has that got to do with the Olympics? What can I do to the Olympics? I'm not being arrested for doing things on street.

"I'm fuming. I'm not that type of person - it just stinks."

Mr Cullen, who has worked with various companies including official Olympic sponsor Adidas and has received the government's backing over his project to prevent graffiti on trains, said he was released on police bail until November.

He added that he had never illegally painted a wall.

Full Article Here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18927228

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"Protecting the games integrity" ???.... by arresting an artist? I suppose artists are terrorists now too?It gets more Orweillian by the day doesn't it?

He pretty much was arrested for a pre-crime stemming from a graffiti website that he registered for a past customer years ago. There was no crime yet commited but he was arrested because there was a suspicion he might commit criminal damage in the future. WTF is going on anymore? Beam me up Scotty, this place down here is fooked up. I'm ready for the RAPTURE ;)

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Permalink Reply by DTOM on July 22, 2012 at 5:27am

The irony is that artist Darren Cullen (handle - 'SER') founded the street art company the Graffiti Kings - which he touts on www.graffitikings.co.ukas being 'the only Street Art company approved by the British Government.'

It is evident that the Graffiti Kings have been commisioned by some pretty high-end corporate entities such as Addidas, Microsoft, Dolce & Gabbana, and Warner Bros, which begs the question, 'why has Darren Cullen been targeted in such a fashion, and why do the UK authorities perceive him to be such a threat, especially when Cullen has been commisioned by the authoritiesin the past?

This is even before one addresses the issue of 'pre-crime' questioning and arrest, something that is disturbingly becoming more common in the UK.

Permalink Reply by Charles Magus on July 22, 2012 at 6:29am

Ban All Olympic Games!! I can't see us Getting through the 2012 London Satanic zion Olympics!

Permalink Reply by Tara on July 22, 2012 at 11:03am

Hmm, it makes me wonder exactly what he's been painting lately. Has his artwork gotten more political or social in content? He has been commissioned by the Government and Corporations in the past so why are they targeting him now? There has to be a reason.

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