The strange case of Sinn Féin and the cartoonist it tried to block
Brian John Spencer wanted to create a large scale painting. Sinn Féin was having none of it
Brian John Spencer self-portrait, in the style of Sir John Lavery
When artist and political cartoonist Brian John Spencer requested permission to attend and sketch a meeting of Belfast City Council, in preparation for a larger scale painting of the council in action, he was initially rebuffed.
In December, a council committee voted in favour of a Sinn Féin proposal to deny the request, which “would involve Spencer being allowed access to the Chamber for a couple of hours prior to the meeting commencing and for him to be present in the VIP gallery to also sketch during the meeting”.