The City Hall of Amorebieta-Etxano has imposed a fine of 2,300 euros to the graffiti artist Marcel Do Nasuncion Martz for drawing on the walls of the town. This April he received the threat of embargo from the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the City Council of the PNV has eliminated all the works he has carried out in the town. The artist has described what has happened as aggression against freedom of expression and artistic expression, and has said that he will not pay the fine for it.

On Monday, Martz made a public statement denouncing the City Hall’s attitude to sexual assault. The neighbor of Amorebieta-Etxano, who uses his works to make social complaints, said that the City Hall wanted to look for a way of “getting scared” by eliminating his works. The graffiti does not offend anyone and Martz has the permission of the owners of the walls to paint them, so he does not understand why they have been directed against him.

The declaration was supported by a number of artists, including Marc Márquez. The event was attended by actor Patxi González Sema, storytellers and interpreter Miren Larrea and musician Fran Lasuen. Martze will take advantage of the solidarity of the following and the cooperation of other actors to deal with the situation: You said that you will not pay the fine of EUR 2,300, but that if the petition persists, you will have to launch a crowfunding campaign.

The artist has denounced that other paintings have not been erased, that the City Hall leaves those she likes, but that many others that have an expressive character are taken away. In this regard, he has criticised his attitude towards them: they have supported him in several projects – in February 2020 he made his exhibition in Zelaieta with the collaboration of the City Council – but in many others they have shown a contrary attitude – they have erased the mural he made at the beginning of the pandemic.

Summer 2020

The artist received her first warning in the summer of 2020. The City Hall opened a sanctioning file and although Martz filed an appeal, the procedure continued. Last April he received a threat of embargo from the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, so his murals have been erased.