Metropolitan Police said they had opened an investigation after a mural appeared on the exterior of the Royal Courts of Justice in London and was shared on an Instagram account associated with the street artist Banksy.
The stencilled image portrays a robed judge wearing a wig striking a demonstrator with a gavel while the protester lies on the ground holding a blood‑spattered placard. It was sprayed on an external wall of the Queen’s Building at the courts complex on Monday before officials covered the work with sheets of black plastic and metal barriers.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "On Monday, 8 September officers received a report of criminal damage to the side of the Royal Courts of Justice. Enquiries continue." HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said the artwork would be removed, adding that "The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character." Security staff were seen patrolling in front of the screen concealing the mural.
The image was posted on an Instagram account associated with Banksy with the caption "Royal Courts Of Justice. London." Authorities treated the mural as unauthorised graffiti and acted to conceal it while investigators carried out enquiries. If criminal damage is proven, sentencing in England and Wales can range up to 10 years in custody if more than £5,000 of damage is caused; for damage assessed under £5,000 the maximum custodial sentence is three months or a fine.
The mural appears to reference recent demonstrations in central London. Over the weekend, nearly 900 people were arrested during a rally organised in support of the now proscribed group Palestine Action, in what police described as a large mass arrest. Scotland Yard condemned what it said was "intolerable" abuse of officers at the event, which organisers said was attended by about 1,500 people.
Defend Our Juries, the campaign group behind Saturday's rally, said the mural "powerfully depict[s] the brutality unleashed by Yvette Cooper on protesters by proscribing Palestine Action," and framed the work as a response to what it described as government restrictions on civil liberties. The Home Office proscribed Palestine Action earlier this year; officials have said they acted on national security grounds.
Banksy has maintained public anonymity for more than two decades and his identity has not been legally confirmed. The artist has sometimes posted images of new works to an Instagram account widely linked to him; if an artist were to be prosecuted in person, they would typically be required to disclose their identity in court. HMCTS said the listed status of the courts building imposes duties to preserve its historic character.
The appearance on the Royal Courts of Justice follows recent street works attributed to Banksy in other cities, including a mural in Marseille earlier this year and a series of animal‑themed stencils that appeared across London last August. Banksy has produced high‑profile pieces that have prompted legal and commercial debate, including the 2018 partial shredding of Girl With Balloon at a Sotheby’s auction, a work subsequently renamed Love Is In The Bin and later sold for a multimillion‑pound sum.
Police enquiries are continuing and HMCTS said arrangements were being made to remove the mural from the fabric of the listed building. No arrests related to the painting have been reported publicly by police as of Tuesday evening.