In December 2021, Banksy released a limited-edition T-shirt to support those involved in the trial of the so-called “Colston Four.” These were the activists who helped topple the statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston during a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol in 2020.

The T-shirt featured a simple yet striking design: the word Bristol printed above an empty plinth, referencing the space where Colston’s statue once stood. By stripping the design back to minimal elements, Banksy underscored the symbolic power of absence, remembrance, and collective action.

Sold for £25 each at selected shops in Bristol, the T-shirts caused long queues and sold out almost instantly. All proceeds went towards supporting the legal costs of the defendants, reinforcing Banksy’s use of art not just as protest but as practical solidarity.