I Fought The Law
Banksy's satirical I Fought The Law prints are based on footage of the failed attempt on President Reagan’s life in 1981. The would-be assassin wields a paintbrush rather than a gun; this reinvention, which also changes the title of The Clash's hit number, probes authority’s reactive nature and the risks of rebellion.
Banksy I Fought The Law For sale
I Fought The Law Value (5 Years)
With 89 auction appearances since 2008, Banksy's I Fought The Law series is one of the most actively traded in the market. Prices have varied significantly – from £900 to £100,000 – driven by factors that contribute to value such as condition, signed variants, rarity and timing. Peak hammer prices have reached £100,000 for top-performing works. Over the past 12 months, the average selling price was £20,266, with an average annual growth rate of 6.48% across the series. Auction data show a premium is placed on signed examples. Private market activity remains a component of overall demand. The market view is of measured growth with differentiation by condition and rarity.
I Fought The Law Market value
Auction Results
| Artwork | Auction Date | Auction House | Return to Seller | Hammer Price | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 I Fought The Law Banksy Unsigned Print | 13 Aug 2025 | Tate Ward Auctions | 8,075 | 9,500 | 12,500 |
 I Fought The Law Banksy Signed Print | 4 Dec 2024 | Forum Auctions London | 22,950 | 27,000 | 35,000 |
 I Fought The Law (yellow) Banksy Signed Print | 13 Jul 2021 | Forum Auctions London | 42,500 | 50,000 | 70,000 |
 I Fought The Law (AP red) Banksy Signed Print | 1 Apr 2021 | Christie's London | 76,500 | 90,000 | 130,000 |
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Meaning & Analysis
Based on footage of the 1981 failed assassination attempt on President Reagan, I fought the Law is one of Banksy’s more politically charged works. Pictures on Walls released the screen print in 2004 as editions of just 150 signed and 500 unsigned. Banksy also created 32 artist’s proofs, eight each of the four colours: orange, pink, yellow and red.
Engaged in a violent struggle, this Banksy print depicts one man being pinned down by three others, whilst a fourth onlooker watches the scene from the right. The man on the ground has dropped a paintbrush, with which he has just scrawled the words ‘I Fought The Law And I Won’ in bright orange paint on the wall behind.
The four characters on the left depict the members of President Reagan’s private security team tackling John Hinckley, a delusional schizophrenic who fired five bullets at President Reagan on 30 March 1981. But with true Banksy wit, the criminal in I Fought The Law is a graffiti artist, instead of a killer.
The text references the title of the song I Fought The Law (and The Law Won) by The Clash from 1979. A second instance of the British rock band’s influence on Banksy’s work can also be seen in his mural portraying a punk smashing an office chair, appropriating the cover artwork from their 1979 album, London Calling.
