London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

Queues form as Banksy Colston statue trial T-shirts go on sale

Queues form as Banksy Colston statue trial T-shirts go on sale

Large queues formed as limited-edition T-shirts made by anonymous street artist Banksy went on sale.

The Bristol-born artist announced on Friday night that the shirts would go on sale at locations in the city.

He said they had been created to show support for the four people about to go on trial accused of pulling down the statue of slave trader Edward Colston.

The shirts quickly began appearing for resale online, with one seller asking for £9,000.

Local radio station Ujima began announcing the sale points on its breakfast show from 09:00 GMT.

Once the locations were made public hundreds of people quickly formed a queue at one of them - That Thing on Stokes Croft.

Similar queues appeared outside Friendly Records in Bedminster and Rough Trade on Nelson Street.

Harvey, Rosie and Emily from Easter Compton in Somerset managed to get a T-shirt each


People began queuing as soon as local radio station Ujima announced the T-shirt sale locations


Sales of the T-shirt were limited


Among the hundreds of people who queued outside the Rough Trade record shop were brother and sister Tom and Rosie Levins.

"When we got in the queue, I don't think we were really confident," Miss Levins said.

Her brother added: "I collect all the Banksy stuff I can get hold off. When stuff comes up in Bristol and you get a chance..."

In an Instagram post, Banksy said the shirts would be limited to one per person, and proceeds would go "to the defendants so they can go for a pint".

Jake Skuse, Rhian Graham, Milo Ponsford and Sage Willoughby all deny criminal damage relating to the removal of the statue and face trial at Bristol Crown Court on Monday.

The statue of Edward Colston, a 17th Century slave trader, was pulled down during a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol in June 2020.

The T-shirts, first publicised on Banksy's Instagram account, show the empty plinth where Colston once stood


Queuing round the block: Hundreds of people lined up for the chance to get one of the shirts


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×