Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation into potential criminal damage after a new mural attributed to the street artist Banksy was stencilled on the exterior of the Royal Courts of Justice in central London.
The image, which the artist posted to his Instagram account with the caption "Royal Courts Of Justice. London.", depicts a robed judge striking a demonstrator with a gavel while the protester lies on the ground holding a blood-spattered placard. HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said the work appeared on an external wall of the Queen's Building at the courts complex and would be removed because the Royal Courts of Justice is a Grade I‑listed building and must have its original character preserved.
Security staff were seen patrolling in front of a screen and metal barriers that officials erected to conceal the mural. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said officers received a report of criminal damage on Monday and that enquiries are continuing. HMCTS declined to comment beyond saying the artwork would be removed.
The posting of the image on Banksy's verified social account provided a clear view of the piece and prompted swift coverage of the area by officials. The anonymity of the artist — who has used the pseudonym Banksy for nearly three decades — could be affected if criminal proceedings were to follow: in the United Kingdom, a defendant who wishes to give evidence in person is generally expected to disclose their identity in court.
The work appears to reference recent events in central London. Organisers and authorities reported a large demonstration at Parliament Square over the weekend that resulted in a substantial number of detentions, with police reporting that 890 people were detained and 857 held on suspicion of showing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action. Scotland Yard said officers had been subject to unacceptable levels of abuse during the rally. A campaign group that organised the recent demonstration, Defend Our Juries, praised the mural, saying it "powerfully depict[ed] the brutality unleashed by Yvette Cooper on protesters by proscribing Palestine Action" and adding that the law's use to limit protest "does not extinguish dissent, it strengthens it." The Metropolitan Police separately condemned what it called intolerable abuse of its officers at the rally.
Criminal damage carries a range of penalties in the United Kingdom. If damage exceeds £5,000, the offence can attract a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment; lesser damage can carry a maximum sentence of three months or a fine of up to £2,500, depending on circumstances and charge.
Banksy is one of the world's best‑known anonymous street artists, with a career spanning more than 25 years. His work has appeared in cities across the world and has increasingly drawn attention from collectors and authorities. Notable moments include a 2003 self-installed piece at Tate Britain disguised as a pensioner, the 2018 shredding of Girl With Balloon at a Sotheby's sale (which later sold as Love Is In The Bin for £18.6 million in 2021), and earlier public pieces such as the 1999 Bristol mural The Mild Mild West. In recent years, images attributed to Banksy have appeared in locations including Marseille and multiple sites around London, drawing public interest and media scrutiny.
The Metropolitan Police said the investigation into the Royal Courts of Justice graffiti remains ongoing and that enquiries continue. HMCTS said the structure's listed status obliges it to preserve the building's original character and that the artwork would be removed as part of that duty.