COUNCIL staff accidentally scrubbed an artwork off a gallery window.

Contemporary artist Carrie Reichardt painted a black anarchy symbol on the outside of the Ink_d Gallery in North Road, Brighton, where she has an exhibition. It was there for two weeks until Brighton and Hove City Council’s graffiti cleaning team scrubbed it off last Wednesday night.

The artist was so angry she returned on Sunday to recreated her enclosed A symbol – only this time five times bigger and in red paint.

She said: “I was shocked. I did not think it was legal for councils to remove things on private property.

“Brighton tends to present itself as this liberal place but this is fascist.”

Dan Hipkin, gallery curator, had to go through CCTV to work out how the symbol had disappeared and may now take legal action against the council.

He said: “This is a well-established contemporary artist and they have damaged a piece of art.”

Apologising, a council spokeswoman said the graffiti team was not aware it was a piece of art and removed it by mistake.