THE Mayo man famous for protests against Anglo Irish Bank and for building the Achill-henge structure on his native Achill Island unveiled a protest structure right in the heart of London.
Joe McNamara, who became known as the Anglo Avenger, unveiled a seven metre high sword structure under the shadow of the world famous Tower Bridge on Saturday morning last.
The location is also right in front of the offices of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
The structure consists of a sword with the letters ‘pol’ written on it being driven through a heart-shaped Union Jack. Sources close to the controversial developer reveal that the ‘pol’ stands for politicians and the meaning of the structure is ‘politicians are the sword through the heart of Britain’.
McNamara has been working in the construction sector in England for over three years. He took the unauthorised structure down on Sunday morning after the management company responsible for the area asked him to do so.
“Joe feels that politicians are the bane of everyone’s life over here, especially with the election coming up, and that is what is being said here,” said the source.
The structure weighs 14 tonnes. The sword is steel while the heart is concrete. Several different art installations were placed at this particular location in recent years.
McNamara came to national prominence in 2010 for two protests in Dublin which earned him the moniker the Anglo Avenger. One incident saw him drive a cement mixer to the gates of Leinster House while another saw him park a cherry picker outside Leinster House.
In November 2011, over the course of one weekend, McNamara led the construction of Achill-henge on a hilltop above Pollagh on Achill Island. Believed to represent a tomb to the Celtic Tiger, the 15 feet high, 30 metres in diameter structure was built without planning permission and was the subject of a lengthy court process. In the end McNamara was ordered to take it down and Mayo County Council said that if he did not take it down, they would.
However, over three years on the structure is still standing.
Mr McNamara would not comment when contacted.
See More: Achill-henge, Joe McNamara, Tower Bridge
