Court staff cover up Banksy image of judge beating a protester
Guardian1 day
Banksy Art Outside UK Court to be Removed
Above: A mural by the artist Banksy outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, U.K., on Sept. 8, 2025. Image copyright: Callum Parke/PA Images/Getty Images
The Spin
Government-critical narrative
The U.K. has descended into authoritarianism, prioritizing the suppression of dissent over free speech. The government swiftly covered up a Banksy mural critiquing its policies, yet arrested nearly 900 protesters, including the elderly and disabled, for supporting the banned Palestine Action. Labeling peaceful activists as terrorists alongside al-Qaeda, while shielding a mural from view, reveals a regime more concerned with control than liberty.
Pro-government narrative
The U.K. government is not authoritarian but is responsibly countering pro-terror sentiment by banning Palestine Action, a group linked to violent acts like damaging RAF planes. Free speech is valued, but defacing the Grade I-listed Royal Courts of Justice, as Banksy did, isn't protected expression — it's criminal damage. Resources are rightly used to protect historic sites and public safety, not to suppress dissent.