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Banksy Confirms Waterloo Place Sculpture; Council Keeps It

5/2/2026

Summary

Banksy Installs Sculpture

Banksy announced that the new central London sculpture is his work.
He posted an Instagram video on Thursday showing the piece installed overnight on a traffic-island plinth in Waterloo Place.
Westminster City Council said on Friday it will not remove the resin or fiberglass work and will keep it publicly accessible.
The sculpture stands near statues of King Edward VII, Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War Memorial.

Summary

Anonymous Installs

The suited figure, whose face is hidden by a billowing flag, was installed overnight without permission.
Critics label the work an anti-imperialist monument that directly challenges the nearby military and imperial statues in Waterloo Place.
Art analysts say the piece adopts official monument visual language while subverting its celebratory intent.
The unannounced installation drew crowds, sparked online debate and prompted public discussion about how symbols shape collective memory.

Summary

Banksy Murals Removed

Court administrators ordered the removal in September of a Banksy mural from the Royal Courts of Justice to preserve the 143-year-old building’s character.
Transport for London stripped a 2020 coronavirus-themed Banksy stencil from an Underground carriage under policy, saying the artist could recreate it elsewhere.
In 2024, three men stole a Banksy painting of a howling wolf on a dish in Peckham in an hour of its unveiling, exposing gaps.

Summary

Peak Installs

James Peak disclosed on May 1, 2026 the exact equipment—a low-loader truck, yellow traffic cones, orange hi-vis vests and protective goggles—used to install the statue.
He explained that the crew used stabilisers and a hook to lift the massive resin figure onto the plinth within minutes.
The sculpture now stands on a plinth in Waterloo Place amid foreign embassies, private clubs and government buildings.

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Banksy Installs Sculpture

Banksy announced that the new central London sculpture is his work.
He posted an Instagram video on Thursday showing the piece installed overnight on a traffic-island plinth in Waterloo Place.
Westminster City Council said on Friday it will not remove the resin or fiberglass work and will keep it publicly accessible.
The sculpture stands near statues of King Edward VII, Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War Memorial.

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