A provocative mural has appeared beside one of London’s most storied legal landmarks.
Banksy has confirmed a new artwork in central London, painted on the exterior of the Royal Courts of Justice. The piece shows a judge striking a protester with a gavel. The protester lies on his back with a blood-stained placard raised in self-defence. The image is stark, immediate, and unmistakably Banksy in its blend of dark humour and political charge.
The mural follows a recent run of animal-themed works that featured gorillas, elephants, monkeys and mountain goats. Those playful interventions gave way to something more pointed here, with a subject that resonates closely with current affairs in the United Kingdom. There is no official explanation from the artist, which is entirely in keeping with his practice. The timing, however, is hard to ignore.
On Saturday, 6 September, police arrested 900 people at a Palestine Action protest in London. Two days later, the mural appeared. Many will read the work as a direct response to the UK government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, and as a comment on the force used during recent arrests.
The location is loaded with symbolism. The painting sits on the Queen’s Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice complex. According to the BBC, the surface has already been covered with plastic sheets and metal barriers in a swift effort to control access and prevent damage. A spokesperson for HM Courts and Tribunals said that due to the Royal Courts of Justice being a listed building, it was necessary to preserve its original character. The response underscores the tension that often surrounds public art on protected sites, especially when the message cuts close to the bone.
Banksy has long used walls as newspapers of record, chronicling the political mood with a quick stencil and a sharp idea. His portfolio frequently critiques government policy, capitalism and social inequality. Other recent talking points include a howling wolf painted on a satellite dish that was removed from a Peckham rooftop within an hour of being revealed. Even in a quieter year, the artist’s output continues to command attention. A piranha artwork on a police box will go on display at the London Museum, and another piece is currently showing at the London Transport Museum.
For now, the judge and the protestor will draw crowds and camera phones, and invite debate on power, protest and the rule of law in a city that lives with both on its streets.
GO: Visit banksy.co.uk for more information.