The Mild Mild West is one of Banksy’s earliest and most iconic murals. Created in 1999 in Stokes Croft, Bristol, it depicts a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at three riot police. Painted boldly in broad daylight over the course of three days, the work quickly became a powerful symbol of Bristol’s counterculture.

The mural was inspired by a series of unlicensed raves and warehouse parties across the city during the 1990s, which often faced heavy-handed responses from the authorities. A particular flashpoint was an event on Winterstoke Road, where riot police attacked partygoers. Banksy’s teddy bear, a figure usually associated with innocence and comfort, is transformed into a playful yet subversive character a gentle hippie forced into rebellion against state control and commercialisation.

Over the years, the mural has been embraced by the local community as part of the cultural fabric of Stokes Croft, widely regarded as an emblem of the area’s heritage of resistance and creativity. In April 2009, the artwork was vandalised with red paint by an anti-graffiti group, Appropriate Media, but volunteers quickly rallied to restore it. Later proposals to shield the mural with glass in front of new flats were met with criticism, as residents argued it would make the work harder to see from the street and disrupt its connection to the community.

Today, The Mild Mild West stands as a quintessential example of Bristol culture, capturing the tension between authority and freedom, and reminding us of the playful yet radical spirit that defines Banksy’s art.