The Big Sip
abcnews.go.com
Covering Banksy’s mural at the Royal Courts didn’t protect the building. It indicted the state’s instincts on dissent.
On 8 Sep 2025, Banksy posted a mural of a judge striking a protester outside London’s Royal Courts. Staff covered it within hours as police probed “criminal damage”.
The rules make officials cover art fast with public money, and that control makes the message louder, saying those in charge are too harsh.
Watch out for freedom-of-information releases and The Independent’s reporting on who ordered the cover-up, what it cost, and whether Historic England steps in (it’s a Banksy after all).
Reciepts
• Banksy confirmed the work on Instagram on 8 Sep 2025 [Report].
• HMCTS said removal was required to preserve the Grade II-listed façade [Report].
Here’s The Brew
Censor speech, walls speak.
Within hours of Banksy’s post on 8 Sep 2025, contractors were scrubbing the wall as officers watched. The cover-up became the story, not the paint.
Listed-building rules and PR reflexes reward speed: take it down, say it protects heritage, send the bill to the public.
Result: a louder message about power managing its own image.
The quicker the plastic sheeting went up, the quicker the clip went viral, and the chat shifted from “vandalism” to “who draws the line between damage and dissent”.
If your instinct is to hide the picture, you’ve already answered Banksy’s question.
Somewhere, a PR person typed, “This will make it go away,” and hit Send, accidentally buying the week’s biggest billboard.
Two Sides, One Mug
Pro: Covering a public artwork at the courts chills speech and wastes money, turning criticism of power into a bigger story.
Con: Graffiti is criminal damage. The courts must protect a listed building and deter copycats.
Our read: Guard the stone without gagging debate. Fast cover-ups backfire by amplifying the message you dislike.
Receipt of the Day
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (PDF) — It sets the duty to preserve listed fabric, explaining why officials moved so fast.
Spit Take
There are 10,000 Grade I and 375,000 Grade II listed buildings in the UK.
— Historic England.
Coffee Break Links ×2
New Banksy at the Royal Courts already covered up [Report] — the blow-by-blow and the plastic sheets. The Guardian
HMCTS says removal is about listed-building duty [Report] — the preservation argument in black and white. The Art Newspaper
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