Three works attributed to Banksy have cost UK public bodies nearly £150,000 in removal, security and storage fees. The largest expense — more than £85,000 — was for a mural on the Grade II‑listed Royal Courts of Justice, where the Ministry of Justice spent roughly £50,000 on paint removal and £35,300 on overtime and security. Westminster City Council spent almost £60,000 protecting a statue in Waterloo Place, while a painted City of London Police sentry box was removed for £2,200 and placed in storage for future display.
Banksy Bill: Royal Courts Mural and Two Other Works Cost UK Taxpayers Nearly £150,000
FILE PHOTO - A view of the latest artwork by elusive street artist Banksy at the Royal Courts of Justice, depicting a judge hitting a protester with a gavel. (is associated with: «Banksy artworks have cost public £150,000 in clean-up, security costs») Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Three pieces attributed to the street artist Banksy have cost UK public bodies almost £150,000 in removal, protection and security expenses.
Costs and Context
Royal Courts Of Justice Mural
The largest single bill came from a mural that appeared on an external wall of the Queen's Building within the Royal Courts of Justice complex in September last year. Because the building is Grade II listed, authorities sought to remove the work rather than leave it in place. The Ministry of Justice says it has spent about £50,000 attempting to strip paint from the wall, plus a further £35,300 on overtime and additional security — bringing the total for this site to more than £85,000.
Waterloo Place Statue
In April this year a statue of a man holding a flag over his face appeared in Waterloo Place, near Trafalgar Square. Banksy later claimed responsibility. Westminster City Council reports it has spent almost £60,000 on safety barriers, administration and a security guard to monitor the piece while authorities decided what to do with it.
Piranha Sentry Box
In August 2024, Banksy painted piranha fish on a City of London Police sentry box installed in the 1990s. The box was removed at a cost of £2,200, placed in storage and is scheduled to go on display at the Museum of London when it reopens in November.
How The Figures Emerged
The spending figures were disclosed to the BBC following a freedom of information request and detail the sums spent by the Ministry of Justice, Westminster City Council and the City of London to secure, remove or store the works.
Artist And Reactions
Banksy — whose real identity has never been officially confirmed — is internationally known for politically charged stencils and installations such as "Girl With Balloon" (2002), "Love Is In The Air" (2003) and "Kissing Coppers" (2004). The artist posted images of the Royal Courts mural to Instagram before it was covered, captioning the pictures:
Royal Courts Of Justice. London.
Some commentators read the courtroom mural — which depicts a protester on the ground holding a blood-spattered placard while a judge in wig and gown looms above with a gavel — as a comment on the arrests of people supporting Palestine Action. In July last year the UK government proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation after activists damaged RAF aircraft.
What This Means: The episode highlights the practical and financial consequences public bodies face when unauthorised street art appears on protected or high-profile sites: removal, security and storage can add up to substantial public costs, even when the works draw significant public and media interest.
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