Fact Check: Banksy London Wall Art Did NOT Show Judge Striking Protester Holding English Flag — It Was A White Placard Splashed With Blood

Did a mural painted by Banksy on a wall at London’s Royal Courts of Justice depict a judge striking a protester lying on the ground and holding an English flag? No, that’s not true: The original Banksy wall art featured a protester holding a white placard that appeared to be splashed with blood. The version spreading on social media showing an English flag instead of the placard is not authentic. Banksy’s work was covered by a black plastic drape and protected by a metal barrier and by guards hours after it appeared Monday, September 8, 2025.

The fake version appeared in a post (archived here) shared by @benonwine account on X on September 8, 2025. The caption above the image read:

Wow this is quite something! 😮 👏👌

Banksy has unveiled a new artwork depicting a judge attacking a Patriotic protester. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

What do you think?

This is what the altered version of the mural looked like in social posts:

The original Banksy art was only visible for a few hours, but the famous English street artist posted (archived here) photographs of it on his Instagram account later in the day. He gave no clues about its meaning beyond a caption that read:

Royal Courts of Justice
London

Banksy shared a wide view and a closer view: