The street artist’s latest work appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Monday and was immediately covered up by Metropolitan Police officers.
The force is now investigating the graffiti, which is on an external wall of the Queen’s Building, as potential “criminal damage”.
It means Banksy, who has remained anonymous for more than 25 years, could finally be unmasked as he would be required to publicly disclose his name if brought to court.
The artwork, which shows a protester holding a white picket sign spattered with red paint, has now been concealed by large sheets of black plastic and two metal barriers.
Less than 24 hours after it first appeared on the Grade I-listed building, HM Courts and Tribunals (HMCTS) confirmed it would be removed.
No wonder they tried to remove it, it’s on a grade 1 listed building.
Are people thinking that because a wealthy and well-known artist paints on a grade 1 building, we should make an exception for him?
I think it’s more that people agree with the sentiment depicted and so are seeing the reaction to it as another example of people in power ignoring the situation in Gaza.
That being said, Banksy must have known that it had to be painted over, given the historical value of the building, adding another layer to the artwork itself. It’s clever, and now a new piece of it’s 150 year history imo