Banksy's new mural in London protests crackdown on dissent

A new Banksy mural has appeared on the facade of the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, depicting a judge in traditional wig and robe beating a defenseless protester lying on the ground with a gavel, the protester holding a blood-splattered sign. The street artist claimed the work on Instagram with the caption 'Royal Courts Of Justice. London'. The mural appears two days after nearly 900 people were arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest in London, one of several organized to challenge the UK government's decision to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Banksy's last official work was unveiled in May in Nice. Last year, he created a series of nine animals across London, ending with a gorilla lifting a shutter at London Zoo. One piece from that series, a piranha aquarium on a police box, will enter the collection of the London Museum, which moves to Smithfield Market in 2026. Shortly after its appearance, the mural was covered with plastic sheets and metal barriers, guarded by security and a surveillance camera, then scraped off the wall under the pretext of protecting the historic building, ironically enacting the message of repression.