An individual has been taken into police custody on suspicion of theft and criminal damage after a road sign which featured artwork by the elusive street artist Banksy was taken, according to the Metropolitan Police. The artwork consisted of a red stop sign with three military drones on it, and was unveiled on the corner of Commercial Way, Peckham in south-east London. The sign was removed within an hour of Banksy confirming its authenticity by posting an image of it on his Instagram account.
The sign was taken by a man, who made use of bolt cutters, as witnesses looked on and took photos. The Met has called on anyone with information about the incident or the location of the sign to contact the police. Police investigations into the incident are continuing. Following the incident, a local street artist placed her own replica of the artwork at the same location on Saturday afternoon. Banksy’s latest creation was widely interpreted by his Instagram followers as calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Similar artwork featuring drones was previously seen at Banksy’s Walled Off hotel in Bethlehem in 2017, which he described as having the “worst view of any hotel in the world”, in reference to Israel’s controversial wall in the West Bank. The incident of this sign being removed has been reported to the police, who Southwark Council’s Deputy Leader Jasmine Ali has stated has every confidence in retrieving it. Speaking to the BBC, Ali spoke about the value of street art and how it should be accessible to everyone.
A new traffic sign has now been installed in place of the original one, to ensure the safety of road users in the area. The man responsible for the theft and criminal damage remains in custody. The Met has also confirmed the existence of footage showing the sign being removed and has urged anyone with information to come forward
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