BANKSY STREET ART// Kissing Coppers, 2004

Kissing Coppers first appeared on the wall of the Prince Albert Pub in Brighton in 2004 and remains one of Banksy’s most iconic and provocative murals. The black-and-white stencil depicts two British policemen locked in a kiss, complete with full uniform, handcuffs, and batons. While playful in style, the work challenges authority and confronts social taboos, drawing on a long art historical tradition of same-sex intimacy, from Renaissance painting to contemporary queer culture.

 

The location was crucial to the mural’s impact. Brighton has long been considered the LGBTQ capital of the UK, home to the country’s largest Pride celebration and a community with deep historic ties to queer identity and expression. By situating the work here, Banksy not only paid homage to the city’s inclusive spirit but also highlighted ongoing tensions around acceptance. Despite becoming a cultural landmark, the mural was repeatedly vandalised and eventually removed in 2008 for preservation, replaced by a replica on the pub’s wall. The original sold at auction in Miami in 2014 for $575,000, a move that sparked criticism from those who believed its removal undermined the spirit of street art.