On Friday, eight people were detained for trying to steal a mural painted by the British graffiti artist Banksy off the wall of a building near Ukraine's capital Kyiv.
Before the police caught the group in the city of Hostomel, they had managed to cut a part of the mural bearing the image of a gas mask-wearing gown-clad woman holding a fire extinguisher.
The very nature of street art is that it's a temporary statement subject to the possibility of being removed. While Banksy's work has undoubtedly become a cultural beacon, it seems that, in his case, graffiti isn't a crime until it's stolen.
Banksy's work is far more than just graffiti. It's a political bridge between culture, arts, and activism with historical significance. There's no question that his art should be protected and preserved.