Overview
- Banksy confirmed authorship Thursday in an Instagram video that shows a covert, pre-dawn installation on a Waterloo Place plinth.
- The sculpture depicts a suited figure stepping off a pedestal with a flag covering his face, sited among statues of Edward VII, Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War Memorial.
- Westminster City Council installed protective barriers and said the work will remain accessible for public viewing for now.
- The reveal follows a March Reuters investigation that claimed to identify Banksy, a finding his representatives and lawyer have disputed.
- The high-profile siting has drawn steady crowds and renews questions over how long unsolicited art will be tolerated on a protected heritage site.