Dozens of murals painted by Italian artist aleXandro Palombo (who capitalizes only the X in his first name) have popped up along a route taken by anti-Israel demonstrations in Milan in mid-May. The murals of Hitler wearing a keffiyeh and a “HATE” armband serve as a critique of antisemitism and unchecked radicalism. The murals have since been defaced with swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti.

Artists and other observers are calling Palombo the new Banksy, or the anti-Banksy. Banksy is a graffiti artist who gained notoriety for his worldwide murals that would appear suddenly and silently, making a statement for a left-wing cause, whereas Palombo presents a different perspective in his art.

Palombo posted a photo of an original mural next to a defaced version with the comment, “Hitler mural defaced. Hate never dies.”

According to his Instagram account, Palombo is a “pop artist and activist, focusing on pop culture, society, diversity, ethics and human rights.”

His work challenges the prevailing zeitgeist, with the aim of provoking conversation about political extremism and radicalization. Many of his murals depict Holocaust victims such as Anne Frank and are frequently defaced with anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, pro-Gaza messaging such as the ubiquitous swastika and hateful slogans.