A painting depicting cops as pigs has sparked controversy on Capitol Hill after one lawmaker ripped it down

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In the past few decades, art has become increasingly political. With the rise of street art, anybody with a can of spray paint now has a voice. A painting on Capitol Hill has sparked controversy recently for its depiction of police officers as pigs. The painting was put up by Representative Lacy Clay (D-MO). According to Fox News, Clay’s office has “sponsored the display of student artwork.”

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Representative Duncan Hunter (R-CA) recently took it upon himself to remove the painting and return it to Clay’s office last week. Clay originally said that he wanted to press charges against Hunter for theft, but Hunter’s office said in a statement that they’re “less than zero percent concerned with this.”

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The Democratic lawmaker said that he will be hanging the painting back up on Tuesday and defended the artist behind the depiction, saying that the painter has “respect for police officers. He just doesn’t have respect for police who use the cover of a blue uniform to do animalistic things to people.” Clay pointed out to the Washington Post that there are still statues of Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee in the Capitol, describing them as “two traitors who cost America 600,000 lives.”