A new statue possibly by the artist Banksy was erected this week in the middle of the night in central London. The artwork depicts a suited man, blinded by the wind-blown flag he is carrying and walking unknowingly off the ledge of a tall pedestal.

When the sun came up on the statue Wednesday morning, people were quick to note Banksy’s signature scrawled along the base of the statue’s plinth. On Thursday, the artist’s Instagram account posted a video seemingly confirming his involvement—the post includes footage of the statue’s apparent installation, interspersed with cuts to London icons including Big Ben, a statue of Winston Churchill, a black cab and a guardsman soldier.

“Personally, I think what’s rather clever about it is he’s got the proportions perfectly right for the space,” says Philip Mould, a London-based art dealer whose gallery is near the statue, in an Instagram video of his own. “I also rather like it when art, which is often forgotten, can be controversial, can be stimulating in this way.”

The statue, which Mould speculated is made of fiberglass, shares a similar height and finish to the many others in Waterloo Place. In its vicinity are statues of King Edward VII, who reigned between 1901 and 1910; Florence Nightingale, widely regarded as the founder of modern nursing; the Crimean War Memorial; and several other monuments to military figures, dukes and lords.

Authorities on Thursday placed safety barriers around the statue as growing crowds of onlookers gathered. As of May 1, the provocative new installation is still standing, and Reuters’ Paul Sandle reports that London authorities say they don’t plan to remove it.

“Banksy has a great ability to inspire people from a range of backgrounds to enjoy modern art,” a representative from the office of London Mayor Sadiq Khan tells the New York Times’ Michael Levenson in an email. “His work always draws great interest and debate, and the mayor is hopeful that his latest piece can be preserved for Londoners and visitors to enjoy.”

Did you know? Banksy’s latest

The surprise statue continues Banksy’s recent run of new public art installations. Days before Christmas in 2025, he unveiled two identical black-and-white murals of two children laying on their backs, gazing up, interpreted as a statement on child homelessness.

Still, given the often limited public lifespan of many of Banksy’s past works, some fans of the elusive artist aren’t taking any chances. For example, in September 2025, Banksy painted a mural on the Royal Courts of Justice depicting a judge bludgeoning a protester with a gavel. Authorities swiftly destroyed it.

“With Banksy, it’s a limited time event because it’s public art—you don't know how long it’s going to be up,” Ollie Isaac, a 23-year-old student observing the statue in Waterloo Place, tells BBC News’ Aurelia Foster. 

A Reuters investigation published in March aimed to reveal Banksy’s true identity, but the artist declined to confirm or deny details.

Statues are a relatively rare medium for Banksy, who is better known for his murals, including his Girl with Balloon series, which debuted in London in 2002. But in 2004, the artist installed in London The Drinker, a satire of Rodin’s famed The Thinker statue, depicting a man sitting in a similar pose as the original but also wearing a traffic cone on his head.

Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.