Statue with Bansky's signature appears in London

Statue with Bansky's signature appears in London18 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAurelia FosterPA MediaThe statue appeared on a plinth in Waterloo Place on WednesdayA large new statue has appeared in central London that appears to bear the signature of the elusive street artist Banksy.The sculpture of a suited man marching forward off a plinth, while carrying a flag with one hand that also covers his face, was first spotted in St James's on Wednesday.It sits on Waterloo Place, near statues of Edward VII, Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War Memorial.'Banksy' has been scrawled onto the bottom of the plinth, leading to speculation the artist is behind it, although Banksy has not confirmed the work is his.Banksy's signature appears to have been etched onto the plinthPA MediaThe statue drew the attention of passers-by on Wednesday eveningBanksy - whose real identity is not officially known - has staged high-profile works around the world, but his most recent pieces have all appeared in London. In December, a mural appeared in Bayswater of two children lying on the ground, while in September, he claimed to have painted a scene on the Royal Courts of Justice complex of a protester lying on the ground holding a blood-spattered placard while a judge looms over him, wielding a gavel.In 2024, the street artist created an animal trail around the capital with pieces featuring a goat, elephants, a gorilla, monkeys, piranhas, a rhino and pelicans among other animals.Each time, they appeared to have been installed covertly and later confirmed as his work on his Instagram account.His works, usually painted on private property, are widely interpreted as political statements and are often removed soon after they appear.Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.ukMore stories on Banksy Two identical Banksy murals appear in London Nine...