How the mural looked before it was painted over – Alby’s parent’s are pictured

A MURAL painted in honour of a young artist killed on railway tracks has been replaced – despite a notice saying ‘respect the memorial’.

Alberto Fresneda’s parents used to visit the tribute in Lymington Road, West Hampstead, but it has now been painted over with a new image of mice and cheese.

The 19 year-old died alongside two friends as they painted on walls near railway tracks near Loughborough Junction in 2018.

Alberto Fresneda

His tag ‘Trip’ is still on walls across London. His father, Carlos, had said he did not condone his son’s dangerous pursuit or the graffiti on walls, but understood the desire to express himself. The sports pitch near 156 West End Lane has been seen as safe space for young people to do their spray can art.

The new painting is on the right hand side of this photograph of the pitch in West Hampstead

Bridget Dunne, a long standing tenants rep in West Hampstead said: “Many local residents are deeply upset that the memorial has gone, especially as it is coming up to the anniversary of the deaths. Perhaps the original artists might see it and be moved to return It is noteworthy that, of all the walls around the football pitch, only the memorial piece was painted over. For all the years the memorial had been in place, it had been respected and never damaged or defaced.”

The council said it had not commissioned the new art.

A longer feature on the mural, Alberto and how his parents responded to the tragedy can be found on NewJournal+ at:
newjournal.substack.com