Three street art pieces by the mysterious artist Banksy scattered across London have cost British authorities and taxpayers nearly £150,000 to date, according to data released following freedom of information requests. The expenses include complex cleaning operations, security measures, fencing, and administrative costs—and the total may continue to rise.
The largest expenditure relates to a mural that appeared in September 2025 on the Royal Courts of Justice building in London. The artwork depicted a bewigged judge striking a protester with a gavel. Britain's Ministry of Justice has already spent over £85,000 addressing the piece: approximately £50,000 on paint removal and roughly £35,300 on overtime and security costs.
Yet the mural has not been fully erased. Initial attempts to remove it using chemical methods failed to achieve complete results, and contractors are now employing laser technology to strip the paint from the historic building's stonework. The structure is a Grade II listed building, meaning it has protected heritage status. If laser removal also proves insufficient, authorities may be forced to consider alternative solutions—potentially including replacing the stones on which the artwork was painted.
Meanwhile, a request has been submitted to install railings along the wall where the piece appeared, a move whose cost has not yet been disclosed and could add to the public bill.
Another Banksy work, installed in April at Waterloo Place near Trafalgar Square, has also generated significant expenses. The sculpture depicts a person carrying a flag and appearing to march blindly off the edge of a plinth. It cost Westminster Council approximately £60,000, including the installation of safety barriers, administrative handling, and hiring security guards.
The council maintains that as the landowner, it holds ownership of the sculpture, and has stated it is examining short-, medium-, and long-term options for managing the piece.
A third work—piranhas painted on a City of London Police sentry box in August 2024—cost about £2,200 to remove. Unlike the courthouse mural, this piece was preserved and is scheduled to be displayed at the Museum of London when it reopens in November.
The costs have reignited the longstanding debate surrounding Banksy's work: whether it constitutes public art with cultural value, or property defacement that burdens the public purse.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy criticized the expenses, saying that "it is outrageous that tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money—and possibly more—will have to be spent cleaning up after Banksy, who appears to believe he has the right to deface public buildings with impunity."
From the opposite perspective, art critic Estelle Lovatt argued that Banksy's works serve a broader public function. "Some people visit Buckingham Palace, and some people visit Banksy's art," she said. "His works bring people together in a way that politics can divide."
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the investigation into the Royal Courts of Justice mural remains open, though as of the latest update, no arrests have been made.
