The mysterious street artist and political provocateur Banksy has made a bold new statement—this time with a mural placed just outside the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice, one of London’s most iconic and historic landmarks.
See Also: Craziest Stories From Banksy’s Better Out Than In Exhibit in NYC
According to the Associated Press, the striking artwork appeared on Sept. 8 and depicts a protester lying on the ground, holding up a blank, blood-spattered placard. Looming over them is a traditional judge, wearing a horse-hair wig and raising a gavel in a violent gesture.
Later that day, Banksy shared the mural on Instagram with the caption, “Royal Courts of Justice. London.”
Security quickly responded. By Monday, officials had covered the piece with black plastic sheets and erected two metal barriers around it. Two officers and a security camera were assigned to guard the site. Given that the Royal Courts of Justice—built in the Victorian Gothic Revival style—is 143 years old and a designated heritage site, officials confirmed that the mural would be removed carefully to protect the building’s historic character.
“The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character,” HM Courts and Tribunals Service said in a statement. Listed status is reserved for buildings deemed historically or architecturally significant, and these structures are legally protected from alterations that could affect their original design.
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Activists believe the mural is a nod to the UK’s ban against the pro-Palestinian group, Palestine Action.
While Banksy’s mural doesn’t reference any specific event or cause, activists have interpreted it as a response to the UK government’s recent decision to ban Palestine Action, a British pro-Palestinian direct action group founded in 2020 to campaign against what it calls Israeli apartheid. The ban has triggered widespread controversy. On September 6, a mass protest in London was organized, during which nearly 900 demonstrators were arrested in support of the organization.
Protesters argue that outlawing the group is a serious violation of free speech and a blatant attempt to silence opposition. They say Palestine Action has exposed uncomfortable truths about the UK government’s role in supporting arms deals with Israel and that the group’s direct action tactics—though controversial—are an essential form of civil resistance. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who oversees British law enforcement, dismissed that view. She defended the ban, stating it was imposed due to the group’s involvement in “serious attacks involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.”
Defend Our Juries, the organization behind the protest, released a statement saying the mural “powerfully depicts the brutality unleashed” by the government’s crackdown.
“When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent; it strengthens it,” the group added, according to The Associated Press.
Legal battles over the ban continue. Initially, judges rejected Palestine Action’s appeal against the ruling. However, a High Court judge later allowed the appeal to proceed, an outcome the government is now challenging.
This isn’t the first time Banksy’s street art has sparked controversy with his visually stunning graffiti art.
Here are 10 powerful murals that showcase how the mysterious artist continues to captivate, challenge, and inspire through his unforgettable creations.
1. “Kissing Coppers” (2004)
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Unveiled in 2004 on the side of The Prince Albert pub in Brighton, this mural of two British policemen kissing made headlines for its boldness and commentary on authority and sexuality. The original was eventually removed in 2011 and sold in the U.S. for $575,000 in 2014, according to the BBC. A replica still exists on the pub wall.
2. “The Mild Mild West” (1999)
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Painted in the late ’90s on a wall in Stokes Croft, Bristol, this piece shows a teddy bear lobbing a Molotov cocktail at riot police, according to Banksy Explained. It’s one of Banksy’s earliest well-known murals and represents his rebellious spirit. Though the original remains in place, protected by locals, prints of the image have become collector’s items.
3. “Mobile Lovers” (2014)
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Painted on a wooden doorway in Banksy’s hometown of Bristol in 2014, Mobile Lovers depicts a couple embracing while secretly checking their phones behind each other’s backs. The artwork was controversially removed and eventually sold for £403,000 (around $670,000) in 2014 to help fund a local youth club, called the Broad Plain Boys’ Club, in a rare case where Banksy publicly approved the sale, Art Net noted.
4. “Flower Thrower” (2003)
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Painted on a wall in Beit Sahour, near Jerusalem, Flower Thrower (also called Love is in the Air) features a masked man about to throw a bouquet instead of a Molotov cocktail. Created in 2003, it’s a powerful image of peace and resistance in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
5. “Girl With a Balloon” (2002)
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Possibly Banksy’s most recognizable piece, Girl With a Balloon first appeared on a wall in London’s South Bank in 2002. The image of a young girl reaching for a red, heart-shaped balloon has become a symbol of both loss and hope. In 2018, a framed version of the artwork shocked the world when it partially shredded itself right after being sold at auction for £1.04 million (about $1.4 million). It was later renamed Love is in the Bin, and its value has only gone up.
6. “Devolved Parliament” (2009)
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Unlike his street pieces, this painting was exhibited indoors at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in 2009. It shows chimpanzees taking over the British House of Commons, a biting political satire. In 2019, amid Brexit chaos, the painting sold at auction for £9.9 million (over $12 million)—making it one of Banksy’s most expensive works ever sold.
7. “Nola aka ‘Umbrella Girl’” (2008)
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Created in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2008, Banksy’s haunting mural titled Nola, also known as Umbrella Girl, shows a young girl holding an umbrella that ironically pours rain onto her, while the rain falls around her dry. It was a powerful metaphor for failed protection and broken promises in the wake of the disaster.
Sadly, the mural was later vandalized in 2020 and was eventually removed from its location at the corner of Kerlerec and North Rampart streets for restoration, local news station NOLA noted. Notably, some lucky art collectors still have physical prints of the unique artwork.
Per Banksy Explained, Nola debuted as a limited edition of 289 prints in late 2008, featuring white rain. Banksy also issued a highly sought-after set of 66 Artist’s Proofs, available in six unique multicolor rain variations, exclusively reserved for VIP collectors.
8. “Seasons Greetings” (2018)
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Appearing overnight in 2018 on the side of a garage in the industrial town of Port Talbot, Wales, this striking mural initially looked festive, showing a child playing in snow. But around the corner, the “snow” is revealed to be ash from a dumpster fire, a stark comment on pollution.
The mural appeared on the garage of Port Talbot steelworker Ian Lewis, whose home on the Welsh coast quickly became a tourist hotspot as thousands flocked to see the piece. Overwhelmed by the attention, Lewis eventually sold the artwork for a six-figure sum, though the exact amount was never publicly revealed, reported Fortune. It was removed and transported to a new location after being purchased by John Brandler, an Essex-based art dealer.
9. “Aachoo!!” (2020)
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In December 2020, Banksy’s striking mural titled Aachoo!! appeared on the side of a semi-detached house on Vale Street in Bristol—one of the steepest residential streets in the UK. The artwork depicts an elderly woman wearing a headscarf, caught mid-sneeze as she forcefully expels her false teeth. In the moment of the sneeze, she’s shown dropping her walking stick and handbag, creating a humorous yet detailed snapshot that quickly drew attention for both its realism and wit.
10. “Basquiat Being Welcomed by the Metropolitan Police” (2017)
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In 2017, two new Banksy murals appeared in London, just ahead of an exhibition at the Barbican Centre celebrating the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. As is typical, Banksy confirmed the pieces through his Instagram account and official website. The first mural—arguably the most striking—is titled Basquiat Being Welcomed by the Metropolitan Police. It shows two police officers aggressively searching a figure believed to represent Basquiat, accompanied by a dog. The piece is a clear nod to Basquiat’s iconic 1982 painting Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump, with Banksy reinterpreting the imagery to critique institutional authority and the art world’s treatment of Basquiat himself, as noted by Banksy Explained.
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