Anger as Banksy mural of judge beating protester removed
The Banksy mural on the Royal Court of Justice Building showing a judge beating a protestor with a gavel. The mural was quickly covered up early this week before being removed.
Image: Banksy
Annabelle Timsit, Andrew Jeong
A mural by the anonymous street artist Banksy portraying a judge beating a protester with a gavel will be removed from the wall outside a London court, according to the British court service.
The mural shows a protester with a bloody picket sign lying on the ground as a judge wearing a traditional gown and wig wields a gavel over them. The image was uploaded Monday on the Instagram account of Banksy, who posts photos of his work as proof of its authenticity.
The HM Courts and Tribunal Services said the mural would be removed because of the historical significance of the Royal Courts of Justice - which contains the outer wall where the mural was applied. The 143-year-old complex “is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character,” the service said in a statement.
Security officers blocked the artwork with metal barriers Monday.
But by lunchtime, a large crowd had gathered on the normally quiet street to the rear of the court complex, and a line had formed as officers allowed people behind the cordon to take pictures one by one.
While the mural doesn’t directly refer to a specific protest or event, it appeared in the wake of a protest in London on Saturday, when nearly 900 demonstrators were arrested. The protesters were showing support for Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group that was banned in July by the British government under an anti-terrorism law, accusing it of violent acts.
Defend Our Juries, a civic organization supporting rights to trial by juries and the group that organized the protest, said the Banksy mural symbolizes “the state brutality unleashed on [protesters] following the proscription of Palestine Action.”
British Security Minister Dan Jarvis said Monday at Parliament that anyone “who wishes to demonstrate about the humanitarian situation in Gaza or the actions of any government, including our own, has the absolute freedom to gather with others and voice their views.”
But Palestine Action “has conducted an escalating campaign involving intimidation and sustained criminal damage, including to Britain’s national security infrastructure,” he said. “These are not the actions of a legitimate protest group.”
In March, Palestine Action splashed red paint over at least one building at President Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, painted the slogan “Gaza is not for sale” on the lawn and dug up grass across parts of the golf course there, protesting Trump’s proposal to develop Gaza and displace its residents.
In June, the group’s members entered a military airfield and spray-painted two military aircraft.
The protest that was held in support of Palestine Action last week “was in stark contrast with” the peaceful protests of other pro-Palestinian groups, such as those led by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Jarvis said.
The artwork of Banksy, a Bristol-based muralist whose identity is unknown, often carries political messages. Sometimes, the artist’s work appears designed to simply amuse.
Professor Paul Gough, the former vice chancellor at Arts University Bournemouth and author of the 2025 book “Banksy: Cultural Outlaw,” described Banksy’s latest mural as “angry and direct.”
“It’s a very clever and detailed stencil, the faces look like they’ve been laser cut, and the splash of red is vintage Banksy - law at its most raw,” he said in an email.
“No wonder it was covered up within minutes and will soon be wiped clean.”