Banksy confirms new statue installed in central London is his work
The statue in Waterloo Place, which appeared early Wednesday, depicts a man proudly hoisting a flag— but the flag is blinding him.
news.wjct.orgHere are the latest widely reported developments on Banksy’s statue in London, as of May 2026:
Direct answer
- A new Banksy statue appeared in central London in late April 2026 and was subsequently confirmed by the artist. Westminster City Council has said it does not plan to remove the piece and that it remains accessible for the public to view. [BBC coverage and multiple outlets corroborate the installation and the council’s stance].
Key details
- Location: Waterloo Place, near the Crimean War Memorial, Florence Nightingale statues, and Edward VII, in Westminster, central London. The piece depicts a suited man stepping off a plinth with a flag obscuring his face. The artwork has drawn crowds and sparked ongoing debate about its political symbolism. [BBC, NPR/Associated Press summaries, and subsequent reporting]
- Artist confirmation: Banksy posted a video and statements confirming ownership of the work and offering a behind-the-scenes look at how the installation was carried out overnight. [BBC, Ground News summaries, and related outlets]
- Public and official response: Authorities have guarded the site with barriers but have not announced any removal plans; the statue has become a focal point for discussions about patriotism, power, and public art in the capital. [Westminster City Council statements and multiple news items]
What this means
- The installation has become another high-profile Banksy public artwork and continues to generate international attention, media coverage, and public commentary on the themes Banksy often explores (power, surveillance, and political critique). [BBC coverage and related articles]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent headlines from specific outlets (BBC, NPR, Reuters, etc.) or summaries of the artist’s statements and the council’s latest updates. I can also fetch a timeline of events and map the installation’s exact coordinates in Waterloo Place for reference.