Banksy has not been arrested, despite a report stating the contrary.

“The Banksy arrest is a hoax,” the street artist’s publicist, Jo Brooks, told The Independent.

However, the prank seems to have duped the internet, with his name quickly trending on Twitter.

A false story, published on US website National Report, alleged that the identity of the British street artist had finally been revealed and he had been arrested by London’s Metropolitan Police and is being held “without bail on charges of vandalism, conspiracy, racketeering and counterfeiting”.

The story claimed that Banksy’s London art studio had been raided, where “thousands of dollars of counterfeit money along with future projects of vandalism” were found, along with ID thought to belong to the famed anonymous street artist, which allegedly identified him as Liverpool-born Paul Homer.

However, a quick Google search shows that the quotes were originally published in 2013 on hoax website on PRLog.

Banksy's New York residency Show all 14 1 /14 Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy paints a leopard onto the Yakee stadium in New York banksyny.com Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A dancer poses next to a Banksy stencil of a man holding flowers Reuters Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A Banksy robot appears on Coney Island, New York banksyny.com Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy's 'Ghetto 4 Life' seen here sprayed on a Bronx street. The graffiti caused upset in the neighbourhood, which the Mayor said had been trying to rid itself of its 'ghetto' status Banksy Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy's 'The street is in play' appears in New York City. The piece was also defaced shortly afterwards banksyny Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A dog sits next to a Banksy of a boy about to hammer open a water pipe Reuters Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy appropriates a quote from the film Gladiator in one of his New York pieces Banksy Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy's alternative bumper sticker gives New Yorkers a mantra to live by Banksy Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A work by Banksyseen through a chain link fence in the Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City Getty Images Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A piece of street art depicting a heart-shaped balloon covered in bandages, allegedly done by the street artist Banksy, is seen on in the Red Hook neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The piece was defaced with red spray paint shortly after being completed Getty Images Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A charming Banksy piece in the Bed-Stuy neighbourhood of New York Banksy Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy's beaver, which marks the tenth day of the artist's New York residency, gnaws on a felled 'No Parking' sign Banksy Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency A pug urinates on Banksy's tribute to 9/11 in New York Chris Streger Banksy's New York residency Banksy's New York residency Banksy's final piece of graffiti as part of his month-long project in New York banksyny.com

Nonetheless, the joke struck a nerve with Louise Mensch, who fell wholeheartedly for the ‘news’ and chastised the police for arresting the street artist and not focusing on other more pressing issues.

After she was notified that the report was, in fact, a prank, she quickly apologised to the police.