Police probe mural on listed Edinburgh flats as residents protest

Police Scotland said inquiries into the incident are ongoing after a street artist painted a mural on the side of the A-listed Cables Wynd House in Leith, a block commonly known as the Banana Flats. The artwork, titled Falling in Love and created by The Rebel Bear, was completed about 15 meters (49 feet) above ground. While City of Edinburgh Council had granted planning consent for the piece, residents who live in the block said they were not consulted and object to the content, which they described as distressing and potentially linked to suicide or domestic violence.

The council granted planning permission for the mural in April on the condition that the artist also obtain the consent of the private residents and tenants who occupy the block. The Banana Flats were recognized as a category A-listed example of Scottish brutalism by Historic Environment Scotland in 2017, a designation that has amplified interest in how public art interacts with a landmark building. The residents group disputed the arrangement, saying the content of the piece was upsetting to people who live there and that the process had excluded them from a decision that affects their daily lives.

The artwork depicts a man in a dark suit kissing a woman in a red dress as they seemingly plummet through the air. The Rebel Bear, a Scottish street artist whose identity remains unknown, has previously earned attention during the pandemic for works that resonated with the public. BBC Scotland reported that the artist declined to comment when approached for a reply. The piece had earlier appeared on a building in Glasgow’s Merchant City.

Residents said the artist arrived on Thursday by crane rig and painted despite challenges from the building manager and council workers. The group said the decision to proceed without owners’ consent and in a way that evokes distressing memories is unacceptable. They called for a police investigation and criticized what they described as an “ego-driven” choice that put residents at risk of harm. The council and partner agencies said public safety concerns necessitated halting work, and they would remove the mural as quickly as possible while seeking a permanent resolution that avoids damaging the building.

Officials emphasized that while permission was granted for installation, it did not automatically cover consent from building owners, including the council and private owners who occupy the block. The housing convener, Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, said in a statement that officers acted to stop work to protect public safety and would pursue removal until a suitable approach for the artwork’s fate could be explored. The council said the removal would be done in a way that avoids damage to the structure.

Police Scotland confirmed inquiries remained active and ongoing. In Edinburgh, the case has raised questions about how to balance artistic expression with residents’ welfare, and how authorities respond when a publicly visible work on a listed structure becomes a flashpoint between art, safety, and community consent.

The Rebel Bear, described by some as the “Scottish Banksy,” rose to prominence during the lockdown with murals that included a masked nurse and other pandemic-era images. His work in Edinburgh has appeared on Princes Street and Rose Street, among other locations, and his anonymity continues to be a fixture of coverage surrounding his pieces. The BBC reported that the artist did not comment on the incident when contacted.

As authorities move to remove the mural, the broader conversation around public art on listed buildings remains unsettled: how much latitude should artists have when the works are visually striking but provoke distress for residents? In this case, residents’ experiences and safety concerns have taken precedence as the investigation continues and the council negotiates a path toward permanent removal or restoration of the building’s exterior.