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Banksy’s Royal Courts of Justice mural set to be removed

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By Julia Szaniszlo on

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HMCTS says removal necessary to protect listed building

Credit: Bansky

A new mural by Banksy that appeared yesterday on the Royal Courts of Justice in London will be taken down, court authorities have confirmed.

The artwork, which shows a judge striking a protester with a gavel, was quickly covered with black plastic and surrounded by barriers. HM Courts & Tribunals Service says the removal is necessary to protect the Grade II-listed building.

They said: “The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character.

The piece is widely considered to be referencing recent protests linked to the banning of activist group Palestine Action, but for now, its time on the court’s walls is set to be short-lived.

6 Comments

Imelda Finnerty

Looks like censorship to me. Danger to the building seems like a threat with no evidence. Poor from Royal Courts of Justice, if they won’t defend free speech who will?

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realist

Censorship is when people are not allowed to tag buildings with graffiti. The more graffiti we stop the more censorship there is.

It’s criminal damage fresher, you’d know that if you’d ever read a case.

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John

So if someone paints an ENGLISH St George on a road they get arrested if BAnksy paints on a LIsted Building he gets (only) publicity – 2 tier law !

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(5)(3)

Al

Worth noting that that is not a real barrister.

Wrong wig and gown.

So all a bit contrived.

Good pic though.

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(3)(0)

Confused Man

I don’t get it. Why is the protestor being attacked by an auctioneer in fancy dress?

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(6)(0)

Andrew

The Queen’s Building is Grade II listed, but so was the house on Fairview Road in Cheltenham where Banksy painted “Sky Booth” in 2013. In that case, the local council granted retrospective listed building consent for the artwork. It was removed in 2016, in the course of works to allegedly “repair” the render, which somehow involved the whole wall being stripped back to brick.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-37148473

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