UK: Banksy protester mural at Royal Courts of Justice immediately concealed

A new mural by British street artist Banksy depicting a judge beating a protester has already been covered up outside London's Royal Courts of Justice. 

The Bristol-born artist, whose true identity remains the subject of rumour, published pictures of the artwork on his Instagram page on Monday.

The stencil, which appeared overnight and shows a judge in a wig beating a prostrate figure holding a placard with a gavel, seems to clearly be referencing the UK government's recent proscription of Palestine Action.

The Royal Courts of Justice, which house London's High Court, is a Grade One-listed building, meaning it has the highest level of historical significance and protection. Photos on Monday showed the stencil obscured by barriers, with two security guards standing in front of it.

Banksy's artwork appeared after almost 900 people were arrested over the weekend for protesting the ban of Palestine Action, a direct action group that has now been designated a terrorist organisation by the British government, alongside al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. 

The ban, which took place in July after some members of Palestine Action broke into a Royal Air Force base and attacked two planes with spray paint and crowbars, makes it a crime to belong to or support the group.

Britain's criminal and judicial system has come under attack from all sides of the political spectrum, with critics saying the right to peaceful protest is under threat. 

Defend Our Juries (DOJ), an activist group that has organised the protests in solidarity with Palestine Action, said in a statement: "Banksy's work of art on the Royal Courts powerfully depicts the brutality unleashed by Yvette Cooper on protesters by proscribing Palestine Action. When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent - it strengthens it."

Cooper, who as home secretary was responsible for banning Palestine Action, has just been made foreign secretary. 

Although Banksy never comments on his artwork, he has created previous work in support of Palestine, including murals on the Israeli separation wall in the occupied West Bank.