A striking new artwork by the elusive street artist Banksy has sparked debate in London after appearing outside the Royal Courts of Justice. The mural, which surfaced on Monday, shows a dramatic and unsettling scene: a judge in a traditional wig and black gown striking an unarmed protester with a gavel.
The protester, lying on the ground, clutches a blood-splattered placard — a stark image that has already attracted widespread attention. Banksy confirmed authorship of the piece by posting a photograph of it on Instagram, captioned simply: “Royal Courts of Justice. London.”
By Monday afternoon, the mural was already concealed. Security personnel covered the work with black plastic sheets and erected metal barriers around it. Two officers were stationed nearby, alongside a security camera, to ensure the site remained protected until the next steps were decided.
According to HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the mural will be removed because the Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building — a designation reserved for some of the UK’s most historically significant structures. “The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character,” a spokesperson said. Given that the Victorian Gothic Revival-style building is 143 years old, removal will take place with particular care to avoid any structural or aesthetic damage.
While the mural does not explicitly reference any specific incident, its appearance comes at a time of heightened discussion around civil liberties. Some activists have interpreted the imagery as a response to the UK government’s recent ban on the activist group Palestine Action. Just two days before the artwork appeared, nearly 900 individuals were arrested at a protest in London challenging the ban. Defend Our Juries, the organisation behind the demonstration, described the mural as a powerful symbol of “the brutality unleashed” by such measures.
“When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent, it strengthens it,” the group said in a statement.
The Royal Courts of Justice itself has played a role in this debate. Judges initially rejected an appeal from Palestine Action regarding the ban, though a subsequent High Court decision allowed the appeal process to continue. The government is now contesting that ruling.
Banksy, who began his career in Bristol, is widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential street artists. Known for his satirical and socially charged works, his creations often address political themes such as migration, war, and human rights. The artist’s pieces frequently appear without warning in public spaces, blending provocation with visual wit.
Last year, Banksy made headlines at the Glastonbury Festival, where an inflatable raft carrying mannequin migrants wearing life jackets appeared during a headline set. He later claimed responsibility for the intervention via Instagram. Similar works have appeared across Europe, including The Migrant Child in Venice in 2019 — a haunting depiction of a shipwrecked child holding a pink smoke bomb — and several pieces in Paris exploring themes of displacement and identity.
In the Middle East, Banksy has produced works across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including murals depicting a girl frisking an Israeli soldier and a dove wearing a flak jacket. His “Walled Off Hotel” in Bethlehem, which opened in 2017 and featured what he called “the worst view in the world,” closed its doors in 2023.
London has long been a canvas for the artist’s creativity. Last summer, the city witnessed a whimsical Banksy series featuring animals in unexpected places — from a mountain goat on a building buttress to a gorilla seemingly supporting the gates of London Zoo.
For now, the judge-and-protester mural remains under wraps, awaiting removal. Whether preserved or lost, it continues to spark conversations about art, authority, and the spaces in which dissent is voiced.
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