A new Banksy mural showing a judge striking a protester with a gavel has been removed from the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
The stencil artwork, which appeared Monday, depicted a protester lying on the ground holding a bloodied placard as a wigged judge delivered a blow. Banksy confirmed authorship by posting an image of the piece on Instagram.
By Wednesday, workers had scrubbed it off the courthouse wall following an order from court administrators. A spokesperson said the removal was required to preserve the historic character of the 143-year-old building.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are investigating a complaint alleging the mural amounted to criminal damage. Banksy’s representatives have not commented.
While the piece did not directly reference a specific incident, some activists saw it as a response to the U.K. government’s recent decision to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Nearly 900 protesters were arrested at a London demonstration against the ban last weekend.
The Royal Courts of Justice houses both the Court of Appeal and the High Court, which have handled multiple legal challenges involving Palestine Action.
