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The UK's immigration minister Robert Jenrick has ordered the removal of Disney cartoons from the wall of an asylum centre. Reporters say Jenrick told staff at the centre to remove the Disney characters that were there to make asylum-seeking children happier. The centre looks after child migrants who arrived without their parents. Jenrick reportedly believes the art sends the message that the UK is "too welcoming". A UK priority is to stop boats of asylum seekers from arriving in the country. It also wants to stop people smugglers.
A group of British artists has responded to the removal of the art by offering to repaint the centre. Celebrated British cartoonist Guy Venables and other high-profile artists want to create art that is welcoming for distressed children. Mr Venables told The Art Newspaper that he was "baffled" that the original paintings were painted over. He called it "pointless cruelty". He said his artwork might make Jenrick "think twice about vandalising…professional cartoonists' work just to deny a vulnerable child something fun to look at."
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