Those who are familiar with Camden Town will notice that it is full of people of all types and backgrounds.
‘Zombie Punk’ being among the most popular.
Brazil-born Anderson Garcia Rodrigues is well known for his unique 75 tattoos, which include one directly in his eye.
At Lockside Bridge in Camden, he asks that people pay him £1 for a picture, although he explains that people are comfortable with him and want a picture because of his tattoos and personality.
Rodrigues is an asylum seeker who fled Brazil because of on-going issues with the government, which meant he had to come to the UK to make a new start and become the person he always dreamed of being.
For some he is perceived as someone who begs for money or wrongly charges people.
The 33-year-old said: “I don’t work, I don’t get benefits, and I don’t want English money. The money I earn at the bridge in Camden isn’t English money, as some people tell me, it’s money from tourists that support me and the punks.”
Because of his status, Zombie Punk earns his money by charging for photos and now lives with a friend rent-free who supports him.
Rodrigues sees Camden as his second home, and unfortunately cannot return to Brazil due to his own personal beliefs about the President.
He goes on to say: “As an anarchist, I oppose rulers, fascist dictators, and the President of Brazil is an ignorant man who deceives people by promising the liberation of weapons and cultivating hatred against indigenous peoples, gays, blacks and minorities.
“Taxes and unemployment are increasing due to increasing inequality in the country. This gives strength to the militias and bovine pesticide industries deforesting the Amazon and removing the indigenous people from their land.”
In response to these issues, he explains that because of his protest participation, he is opposed to the Brazilian president and his supporters, known as bolsominions.
His ambition to be free and wild, however, has resulted in him having a phenomenal performance on social media. He has 41,000 followers, sharing tags that show people taking pictures with him.
Irmak Dogan, 24, a Camden Town resident and casual worker, describes Anderson as vibrant and energetic, giving life to the neighborhood.
“If anything I know how happy he makes everyone who visits him, he brings with him a unique style that we all love and admire, and if anything, Camden wouldn’t be the same without his weird but cool energy.”
Dogan explained that the punk doesn’t see him charging people for photos as “begging”, and in fact people seem to rally around him for selfies, and she doesn’t see it as a problem, especially since he doesn’t bother them.
It will be interesting to watch where the Zombie Punk goes, regardless of how you feel about his way of living.
He would describe things others would find ugly or scary as things that he finds liberating.
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