Banksy’s mural at London’s Royal Courts of Justice, showing a judge striking a protester, is causing controversy and had to be removed.
Banksy unveiled a provocative new mural on the walls of London’s Royal Courts of Justice on Monday morning, depicting a judge striking a protester with a gavel, before it was quickly concealed by court staff.
The anonymous artist confirmed the piece as his own by posting a photo of the mural on Instagram. The image shows a black-robed judge towering over a protester lying on the ground, clutching a white placard stained with what appears to be blood.
The artwork appeared on the Queen’s Building, part of the court complex, and is widely believed to reference recent pro-Palestinian protests in London. On Saturday, nearly 900 demonstrators were detained during rallies opposing the UK government’s ban on the activist group Palestine Action.
Court security tried to block onlookers from photographing the mural as more staff arrived with materials to cover it. By midday, the piece had vanished beneath a fresh layer of paint.
A spokesperson for HM Courts and Tribunals Service said the mural was removed because the building is protected under heritage laws. “The court is a listed building and officials are obliged to maintain its original character,” the spokesperson said.
The Queen’s Building, completed in 1964, is a Grade II-listed structure, meaning it holds national importance and is legally protected from alterations that could affect its historical value.
Banksy’s latest work adds to his long-running history of politically charged street art.
In 2005, he painted seven murals on Israel’s West Bank barrier, describing the wall as turning “Palestine into the world’s largest open-air prison.”
The 38-foot-high barrier separating Israeli and Palestinian territories has since become a site for anti-occupation graffiti and protest art, much of it inspired by or directly contributed to by Banksy.
In May, the elusive artist posted another politically themed piece in Marseille, France, depicting a lighthouse alongside the words “I want to be what you saw in me.”
Despite his global fame, Banksy’s identity remains unknown. His work continues to appear without warning and often disappears just as fast, especially when it lands on protected or controversial sites.
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