Court Staff Cover Banksy Artwork of Judge Striking Protester on London’s Royal Courts of Justice

Published: 09 September 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

A new work by the elusive street artist Banksy sparked controversy on Monday morning after appearing on the walls of the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The mural, which depicted a judge wielding a gavel against a protester lying on the ground, was quickly obscured by court staff under the instruction of security officials.

Banksy confirmed authorship of the piece by sharing a photograph of it on his official Instagram account. The image, taken on the wall of the Queen’s Building within the court complex, showed passers-by – including a lawyer and a cyclist – next to the striking image. The protester in the artwork clutched a placard marked with a vivid red stain resembling blood, a stark symbol interpreted as a critique of state power.

Witnesses reported that guards were deployed in front of the mural shortly after its discovery. Matteo, a local worker who passed by at around 8.30am, described efforts by security staff to prevent the public from photographing the piece. “I think it’s disgusting that they would just cover it up,” he remarked, linking the act to heightened tensions following the arrests of hundreds during a pro-Palestine protest in London over the weekend.

The protest in question saw police detain nearly 900 people after the banning of activist group Palestine Action. Campaigners and rights advocates have described the crackdown as a direct attack on civil liberties. A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries, an organisation opposing the ban, said: “When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent – it strengthens it. As Banksy’s artwork shows, the state can try to strip away our civil liberties, but we are too many in number and our resolve to stand against injustice cannot be beaten.”

Officials at HM Courts and Tribunals Service confirmed the decision to remove the artwork, citing legal obligations to protect the character of the Royal Courts of Justice, which is part of a Grade II-listed complex. “We are obliged to maintain its original character,” a spokesperson stated. The Queen’s Building, completed in 1964, is among the legally protected structures included in the National Heritage List for England.

The episode adds to Banksy’s long history of politically charged art. Known for works that challenge authority and address global conflicts, the artist has previously painted on the separation wall erected by Israel in the occupied West Bank. Earlier this year, in May, he shared an image of a stencilled lighthouse in Marseille alongside the words: “I want to be what you saw in me,” continuing his tradition of blending sharp social commentary with haunting imagery.

The covering up of Banksy’s latest work has already stirred public debate about freedom of expression, civil liberties, and the role of art in questioning authority – a conversation that seems unlikely to fade as protests across the UK continue.