![banksy-arrested - Banksy arrested in London on vandalism charges, identity revealed [UPDATES]](http://deathandtaxesmag.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/banksy-arrested.jpg "banksy-arrested")
Paul William Horner, 39, of Bristol, England, was arrested in London late last night.
Police arrested Horner, better known as Banksy, with a group of 4 other men at around 2am after they had just painted a new piece. Police then followed them back to what is believed to be one of Banksy’s art studios, where they made the arrest. A spokesperson for the London Police made the following statement:
“Horner is currently being held without bail on charges of vandalism, conspiracy, racketeering and counterfeiting. We are also holding the other four individuals whose names we are not releasing at this time.”
UPDATE 6: Here is a cached version of the original hoax on PRLog.
UPDATE 5: The story appears to have been a massive troll.
UPDATE 4: The PRlog story seems to stem from this BBC article detailing the February 8 arrest of a man believed to be Banksy.
UPDATE 3: Anonymous tweeted the story:
London Police say #Banksy’s real name is Paul William Horner, a 39-year old male born in Bristol, England. | prlog.org/12085513-banks…
— Anonymous Operations (@Anon_Central) February 22, 2013
UPDATE 2: Doing some sleuthing… the PR Log info might be totally fake.
UPDATE: The source, PR Log, has been removed.
Either the site is down, or we (and many others) have been epically trolled.
Source: London Police press release
February 22, 2013 at 9:09 pm, David Petti said:
Say it ain't so.
February 22, 2013 at 9:27 pm, Bill Dow said:
it ain't so.
February 22, 2013 at 9:56 pm, Scott Rench said:
Allegedly
February 22, 2013 at 9:20 pm, Doug Nicholson said:
read up http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/191eqw/banksy_arrested_identity_revealed/.
February 22, 2013 at 9:21 pm, Michelle Mo Alb said:
noooooooo
February 22, 2013 at 10:10 pm, Elsa Navarrete said:
I just saw "Exit thru the gift shop" Love that guy!!! Buuu!!!
February 22, 2013 at 9:22 pm, Tim Chalifoux said:
I am distraught…
February 22, 2013 at 9:24 pm, Leah Elzinga said:
did you see the updates?
February 22, 2013 at 9:33 pm, Tim Chalifoux said:
No.
I JUST got the news about 10mins ago.
February 22, 2013 at 9:35 pm, Tim Chalifoux said:
Oh…
Well looky that…
Shiiiiiit.
Troll.
February 22, 2013 at 9:36 pm, Tim Chalifoux said:
I am no longer distraught.
February 22, 2013 at 9:23 pm, Justin Sullivan said:
You've been trolled. Nice job.
February 22, 2013 at 9:25 pm, Justin Sullivan said:
Banksy has NOT been arrested and won't be. Promise.
February 22, 2013 at 9:30 pm, Edan Strekal said:
It probably wouldn't be all that shocking if we found out who he was either…unless it was totally absurd like Rowan Atkinson.
February 22, 2013 at 9:34 pm, Ashley Holler said:
Well, if you PROMISE…
February 22, 2013 at 9:35 pm, Paul Garcia said:
Dude YOU totally called it
February 22, 2013 at 10:07 pm, Dali Wiederhoft said:
You really need to go to you-know-where to meet my friends who know you-know-who. They are your people, you need only go find them.
February 23, 2013 at 7:40 am, Ecaf Koob said:
Source of the story….
http://superofficialnews.com/banksy-arrested-in-london-identity-revealed/
It's by the same guy who did the Big Lebowski 2 hoax, The Bill Murray Party Crashing Tour, Bill Murray in Ghostbusters 3…. the list goes on and on and on
February 22, 2013 at 4:32 pm, Banksy arrested in London on vandalism charges, identity revealed [UPDATES] said:
[...] Banksy arrested in London on vandalism charges, identity revealed [UPDATES] [...]
February 22, 2013 at 4:33 pm, Banksy Arrested In London | lampandboat said:
[...] Banksy Arrested In London [...]
February 22, 2013 at 9:35 pm, Jay Alan Babcock said:
I can tell you for sure, that Banksy is a white dude who does graffiti art, and he has a name his parents gave him, that is different from his tag. Now, you may go on with your lives.
February 22, 2013 at 9:38 pm, Ted Rubright said:
Have we discussed "Exit Through the Gift Shop?" Forgive my leaky memory if we did.
February 23, 2013 at 7:41 am, Ecaf Koob said:
Source of the story….
http://superofficialnews.com/banksy-arrested-in-london-identity-revealed/
It's by the same guy who did the Big Lebowski 2 hoax, The Bill Murray Party Crashing Tour, Bill Murray in Ghostbusters 3…. the list goes on and on and on
February 22, 2013 at 9:50 pm, Dark Nomad said:
Would ruin the mystique if he lost his anomonity… hope it never comes out be shit funny seeing his grave tagged here lies?
February 22, 2013 at 10:15 pm, Alex Moran said:
the general consensus is it's fake, however it may just be his lawyers that are forcing it off the site
February 22, 2013 at 9:59 pm, Owen Gerst said:
I think the missed story here is why Anon is outing Bansky? That's one "anon" outing another "anon". I would say lets focus on who this "Anon Central" is that is claiming to be anon. cause that's Bullshit.
February 22, 2013 at 5:05 pm, Banksy Arrested In London, Identity Revealed – Don’t Read This if You Don’t Wanna Know | Verbicide Magazine said:
[...] There’s a good chance this is a massive hoax. According to Death & Taxes the PRlog story (which has either been removed, or the site is down) seems to stem from this BBC [...]
February 22, 2013 at 5:25 pm, » Test Post 02.22.2013 Integrate The Faith said:
[...] Banksy not arrested. [...]
February 22, 2013 at 5:28 pm, Banksy Caught, Identity Revealed – True or Hoax? said:
[...] couple reports from around the interwebs are saying that the world renowned street artist, Banksy, has been caught in London. According to a [...]
February 22, 2013 at 5:29 pm, HOAX: Banksy arrested in London on vandalism charges, identity revealed | Ives Street said:
[...] Banksy arrested in London on vandalism charges, identity revealed [UPDATES] | Death and Taxes. [...]
February 22, 2013 at 6:45 pm, "Banksy" Identity NOT Revealed after Vandalism Arrests | HEAVY said:
[...] news websites, including DeathandTaxesMag.com, posted a news story about a popular graffiti artist who goes by the name "Banksy." UK authorities [...]
February 22, 2013 at 7:17 pm, Banksy's arrest was just a hoax. Life imitating art. said:
[...] a vague press release last night: Paul William Horner, 39, of Bristol, England, was arrested in London late last [...]
February 23, 2013 at 12:19 am, Layton Killick said:
Team Robbo…..fxxk Wanksy
February 23, 2013 at 12:31 am, Christopher Koulouris said:
The moral of the lesson? Instead of street walls being mashed on this time the media got mashed on. By a troll no less. Not that the media isn’t it’s own dizzy troll mashing on the surface of the world’s consciousness….
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2013/02/banksys-arrest-was-just-a-hoax-life-imitating-art/
February 23, 2013 at 7:40 am, Ecaf Koob said:
Source of the story….
http://superofficialnews.com/banksy-arrested-in-london-identity-revealed/
It's by the same guy who did the Big Lebowski 2 hoax, The Bill Murray Party Crashing Tour, Bill Murray in Ghostbusters 3…. the list goes on and on and on.
February 23, 2013 at 9:08 am, Adam White said:
The first clue that it was fake should've been "a spokesperson for the London Police". There is no organisation known as the London Police.
February 23, 2013 at 5:37 am, No, Banksy Probably Didn't Get Arrested | Real True News said:
[...] may have heard by now that Urban Outfitters’ favorite street artist, Banksy, was arrested in London last night on charges of vandalism. Even better, after hauling him in, police reportedly revealed [...]
February 23, 2013 at 10:12 pm, Chotkos Beats said:
so now, everybody go outside and write on a wall "still free you suckers".
February 24, 2013 at 10:05 pm, Richard Boase said:
London Police are a well known street art crew inspired by Banksy. It's a neat stunt. http://www.thelondonpolice.com/NewTLP/News.html
March 15, 2013 at 6:21 pm, No, Banksy Probably Didn’t Get Arrested said:
[...] may have heard by now that Urban Outfitters’ favorite street artist, Banksy, was arrested in London last night on charges of vandalism. Even better, after hauling him in, police reportedly revealed [...]
April 21, 2013 at 2:16 am, Pedro Guevara said:
Bansky is in Miami , I saw him.