Banksy has installed a new sculpture in Waterloo Place, central London, depicting a suited man with his face covered by a flag walking off a plinth toward his demise. The artist confirmed his authorship via an Instagram video and left his signature on the base. The statue was covertly placed in the early hours of April 29, among existing monuments celebrating the British Empire, including King Edward VII, Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War Memorial.
The work serves as a pointed anti-imperialist and anti-nationalist statement, contrasting sharply with the surrounding imperial monuments. By placing his sculpture in this context, Banksy critiques blind nationalism and the glorification of empire, sparking public debate about historical memory and contemporary politics. The piece continues Banksy's tradition of using public art to provoke political reflection.