Early in the morning on Sept. 8, passersby noticed a striking new mural on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice building in London. Painted in graffiti artist Banksy’s unmistakable style, the chilling image depicted a judge in wig and gown brandishing his gavel against an unarmed protester.
Officials covered the mural with sheeting and fence by the end of the day, but the impact had already been made. Photos of the mural were already going viral on social media. As days passed and the mural was scrubbed from the building, the image took on a ghostly tone that was even more unsettling than the original depiction.
The placement of the artwork on a major judicial institution was no accident. Many interpret the piece as a commentary on the arrests and prosecution of protesters in the UK, particularly in light of recent crackdowns on civil disobedience and demonstrations.
This is not the first time that Banksy’s artwork has been destroyed or removed. A stop sign Banksy painted military drones on was stolen shortly after completion. In other instances, buildings with their graffiti have been demolished or sections of walls painted with their art have been removed.
Perhaps their most well-known work is the painted reproduction of one of their murals called “Girl with Balloon.” Sold at auction in 2018 for over a million pounds, the painting was partially shredded by a mechanism in the frame immediately after sale. Ironically, this act of rebellion against the commodification of art only served to increase the painting’s value, and it later sold a second time for over 18 million pounds.
Primarily using stencils to save time, Banksy’s work is characterized by huge images, catchy slogans and strong anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment sentiments. Banksy is making a statement, but a dangerous one as graffiti is illegal. Their true identity must remain secret, otherwise they would face criminal charges. After their graffiti work on the Royal Courts of Justice, the courts are investigating and will press charges against them.
Art has always served as one of the most powerful pieces of propaganda a person can leverage. In the face of illiteracy or across language barriers, art continues to tell its story. Even while the image was being scrubbed away, the London mural screamed louder than any words possibly could. Propaganda has long used art to unify and persuade, famous examples being images of Uncle Sam or Rosie the Riveter.
For Banksy, art serves as a form of political activism. In an era where competing agendas dominate public discourse and individual voices are often drowned out, their bold, large-scale graffiti functions as a kind of guerrilla warfare. It is resistance against systems of power that they cannot confront directly. Banksy uses their art in public spaces to challenge authority, spark conversation and make political statements that cannot be easily ignored.
