Man is arrested after scrawling 'Epstein didn't kill himself' in red lipstick on empty wall where $120,000 duct-taped banana exhibit was displayed at Miami's Art Basel

• Roderick Webber, 46, from Massachusetts, wrote the message in red lipstick
• He was escorted away by police but complained that the banana eater was not
• Performance artist David Datuna ate Maurizio Cattelan's banana artwork

A man has been arrested after scrawling a message about Jeffrey Epstein on awall at Miami's Art Basel - in the same spot where a $120,000 duct-taped banana exhibit was displayed.  

Roderick Webber, 46, from Massachusetts, was swiftly taken away by police after writing in red lipstick: 'Epstien (sic) didn't kill himself.'

The 46-year-old wrote the message on a wall at the gallery where a banana had previously been displayed been on display. 

The work of art, by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and titled 'Comedian', sold to a French collector for $120,000. But it was later taken down due to 'several uncontrollable crowd movements' and after a man walked up to the taped piece of fruit banana and ate it. 

Webber's message alluded to the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of the billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein who committed suicide in his New York jail cell in August. 

Many believe his death may have been arranged by others implicated in a global pedophile ring who would have been outed if Epstein went to trial.

The phrase 'Epstein didn't kill himself' went viral after his death, although Webber failed to spell the name of the disgraced financier correctly. 

Curators later covered up the message with a piece of white cardboard, according to The Miami Herald.   

Webber shouted as he was escorted out of the Miami Beach convention center: 'If someone can eat the $120,000 banana and not get arrested, why can't I write on the wall?

'This is the gallery where anyone can do art, right?' 

On Saturday, David Datuna, who describes himself as a Georgian-born American artist living in New York, walked up to a banana that had been duct-taped to the gallery wall and ate it.

The banana was, in fact, a work of art by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled 'Comedian' and sold to a French collector for $120,000. 

'Art performance ... hungry artist,' Datuna said, as he peeled the fruit and took a bite. 'Thank you, very good.'

A few bystanders could be heard giggling before a flustered gallery official whisked him to an adjoining space for questioning.

'He did not destroy the art work. The banana is the idea,' Lucien Terras, director of museum relations for Galerie Perrotin, told the Miami Herald.

As it turns out, the value of the work is in the certificate of authenticity, the newspaper said. The banana is meant to be replaced.

A replacement banana was taped to the wall about 15 minutes after Datuna's stunt but was then taken down due to 'several uncontrollable crowd movements'.

Art Basel is an international art fair selling the works of established and emerging artists.

It also made headlines on Friday when Madonna's daughter Lourdes 'Lola' Leon stripped down to just a nude thong and pasties to simulate an orgy. 

The half-Cuban 23-year-old wound up in a pile of around 30 others for the Love Different 2020 performance at The Temple House in Miami Beach.