Overview

• The mural, titled 'Kinbakubi,' depicted a bound and gagged woman and was painted by Los Angeles-based artist Lauren YS in Fitzroy, Melbourne.
• Activist group Collective Shout condemned the mural as glamorizing violence against women, organizing over 1,000 complaints to the Yarra City Council in two days.
• The council confirmed the mural violated planning permit laws and announced fines for the business hosting the artwork.
• Most of the mural has now been defaced with graffiti, frustrating admirers who saw it as an empowering depiction of consensual kink culture.
• The incident has reignited broader debates in Melbourne over public art regulation, community values, and the balance between creative expression and social responsibility.