The guardposts are about the size of a small backyard gazebo and staffed by police officers in shifts. Over the weekend they were painted over with a bright red and white brick pattern, lending a cartoonish look to City Hall.
British artist Richard Woods also plans to cover a door inside City Hall with an image that creates an optical illusion.
The reaction has been mixed. Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the temporary project as ``cute'' and says it's fun to try something different.
Some of the police officers working at City Hall have been grumbling about how much they hate their new digs.
City Councilmember Letitia James says it makes a mockery of a serious subject, public safety.
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