Statue in Waterloo Place confirmed as Banksy
Getty ImagesStreet artist Banksy has confirmed a large statue that appeared in central London is his work.
The sculpture - which bears his signature - depicts a suited man walking forward off a plinth while carrying a flag that covers his face.
It sits in Waterloo Place, St James's - an historic area known for grand architecture and statues of Edward VII, Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War Memorial.
After drawing crowds since it was first spotted on Wednesday, Banksy confirmed the work was his by posting a video of it on his Instagram account on Thursday afternoon.
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James Peak, creator the BBC podcast series the Banksy Story, said: "Here, you've got a brilliant comment on a bumptious, chest puffed out man in power with the flag completely obscuring his vision, which is why he is about to fall off the plinth."
He added Banksy had "pulled off another fantastic coup...the positioning is absolutely knockout".
"We've got to face up the the fact that Britain has an imperialistic history full of takeovers and part of that is the sort of extreme nationalism that Banksy absolutely abhors."
He added: "Every (Banksy) piece is a campaign."
Banksy is well known for high‑profile and often controversial 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 including a goat, elephants, a gorilla, monkeys, piranhas, a rhino and pelicans.
Each time, the pieces have appeared to have been installed covertly and later confirmed as his work on his Instagram account.
His works, installed on both private and public property, are widely interpreted as political statements and are often removed soon after they appear.
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