Street artist Banksy splashes Paris with works on migrants

A rat with a red bow graffiti believed to be attributed to street artist Banksy is seen on a wall along a street in Paris. AP

Two men place a protective board over a graffiti believed to be attributed to street artist Banksy, in Paris AP

Seven works attributed to Banksy have been discovered in recent days, including one near a former centre for migrants at the city's northern edge, according to the art website Artistikrezo AP

Not all the works directly reference migration. One is a play on the 1801 painting of Napoleon crossing the Alps AP

Artist Konny Steding puts up a poster partially covering a graffiti believed to be attributed to Banksy AP

It didn't take long for others to add — or detract — from Banksy's work. First came the blue tag over the wallpaper AP

Banksy is believed to have taken his message on migration to Paris, which has seen seven works attributed to the provocative British street artist.

The works attributed to Banksy have been discovered in recent days, including one near a former centre for migrants at the city's northern edge that depicts a child spray-painting wallpaper over a swastika.

Nicolas Laugero Lasserre, editor of the Artistikrezo website that broke the story, said he heard a few weeks ago through contacts in the French street art world that Banksy was planning a trip.

He said he started looking for the works and came across the one in the northern Porte de la Chappelle neighbourhood. The same wallpaper stencil was used in a 2009 exposition at the Bristol Museum, he said, describing it as "a real signature" of the elusive artist.

It didn't take long for others to add — or detract — from Banksy's work. First came the blue tag over the wallpaper. Then on Monday, another artist temporarily covered over Banksy's work with a poster depicting a woman's face, but the paper was quickly pulled off and an art restorer frantically tried to cover the works with a clear plastic.

Not all the works directly reference migration. One is a play on the 1801 painting of Napoleon crossing the Alps. Others show rats, including one that appeared to have been altered over the weekend.

"It lands at a key political moment, and for me that's really the genius of Banksy," Laugero Lasserre said.

Banksy's publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.