A street artist in Australia who painted a controversial mural showing Hillary Clinton in a skimpy swimsuit has covered her image with a niqab after the local council threatened to impose a fine.

The initial version of the mural, by an artist known as Lushsux, generated complaints from residents in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray after it depicted the US Democratic presidential candidate in a stars-and-stripes swimsuit with $100 bills tucked into her waist.

The local Maribyrnong council deemed the mural sexist and ordered that it be removed within ten days.

“We believe that this mural is offensive because of the depiction of a near-naked woman, not on the basis of disrespect to Hillary Clinton, and it is not in keeping with our stance on gender equity,” said Stephen Wall, the council chief executive.