James Moorhouse
Banksy may finally be identified as his latest painting in London looks set to land the anonymous artist in trouble.
After rising to prominence in the late 90s with his graffiti art in Bristol, the mystery man's popularity exploded in the early 2000s as the artist headed to the capital.
It was there where one of his most famous artworks, the girl with balloon, was painted, and he hit the headlines once again this week after a new piece was spotted outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
After Banksy confirmed it as authentic on Instagram, it didn't take long for police to take action, which is perhaps no surprise when you consider that it is a listed, and therefore legally protected, building.
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Although, some lucky pedestrians were able to spot the mural early in the morning, it was soon cordoned off with metal gates, and it was scrubbed off with chemicals yesterday, which is perhaps unsurprising given this country has always stifled any form of creativity.
For those of you who didn't get the chance to see it, there are some photos below, and it seems as if the political message behind the painting seems to be focused on the 900 people who were arrested at a London protest recently, after the ban on Palestine Action, with the government proscribing it as a terror group.
There have long been rumours that Banksy's true identity could finally be exposed but now it appears to be a real possibility, as the Met Police have confirmed that they are making inquiries into the matter.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "On Monday, officers received a report of criminal damage to the side of the Royal Courts of Justice. Inquiries continue."
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Should Banksy appear in open court, then his name would be revealed, which much like Superman or Batman, might take away some of the magic when you realise he's just a normal bloke from Bristol.
Banksy's former manager Steve Lazarides previously explained: “The anonymity was a big thing, it started off with self-preservation in Bristol. He didn’t want to get caught, he didn’t want to go to jail, fair enough.
"And then as the years went by and it went on for longer, I think that the anonymity became quite a disease. Everyone has this figure in their mind, they have a folk hero, and it looks different in everybody’s mind. He’s never really got to enjoy the fame he got."
Considering some Banksy works have sold for millions, even when they are immediately shredded afterwards, the artist's identity being exposed probably won't harm his brand all that much, but without mystery in our lives, everything would be rather monotonous.
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LADbible has contacted Banksy for comment.