A pretty penny: Three Banksy artworks cost taxpayers £150,000 in upkeep

Costs of security and removal efforts have reignited debate over whether work is vandalism or valuable public art

Three Banksy artworks have cost taxpayers almost £150,000 in removal efforts, security and other costs, with the bill expected to rise.

The largest bill relates to a mural painted on the Royal Courts of Justice in London in September 2025, where efforts to remove it and provide security have so far cost more than £85,000, according to the BBC .

The mural depicted a judge in a wig beating a protester with his gavel. Banksy confirmed the work was his by posting an image on his website and Instagram account.

The Ministry of Justice told the BBC, after a freedom of information request, that £50,000 had been spent trying to remove the paint from the wall of the Grade II-listed building on Carey Street. A further £35,000 had been spent on overtime and security.

“The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character,” the HM Courts and Tribunals Service said.

The costs have reignited a debate over whether Banksy’s work constitutes vandalism or valuable public art, particularly when it appears on historic buildings. The artist, who emerged from Bristol’s graffiti scene in the 1990s, is one of the world’s most famous street artists. His work has sold at auction for upwards of £18m.

The shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, said it was “outrageous” that taxpayers’ money was being spent cleaning up after the artist. “Our courts are a national symbol of justice and the rule of law,” he said. “Banksy’s vandalism should be stopped and he should foot the bill for the costs he imposes on others.”

But the art critic Estelle Lovatt defended Banksy’s work and highlighted the benefits for tourism. “Some people visit Buckingham Palace and others visit Banksy’s art,” she told the BBC. “His work brings people together in a way that politics can divide us. He’s like the Pied Piper or a town crier.

“It can be intimidating if a mural appears on your building, in terms of the crowds, but he makes art accessible because there’s no gallery fee.”

Initial attempts to remove the mural were unsuccessful and contractors have since been using laser technology. If Westminster city council considers the result inadequate, another cleaning method will be required. As a final option, the affected stonework could be removed and replaced.

A listed building consent application has also been submitted for railings to be installed across the wall where the mural appeared. The cost of the installation is not yet known.

Another Banksy work has generated almost £60,000 in costs for Westminster city council.

A statue of a man carrying a flag appeared in Waterloo Place in the capital, near Trafalgar Square, in April. Banksy claimed responsibility by posting a video of the overnight installation on Instagram.

The council said it had spent almost £60,000 on safety barriers, administration and a security guard to monitor the statue.

“Ownership of the statue now sits with the council as landowner,” it said. “The council has notified the artist’s agent that it is reviewing options for the short, medium and long term.”

In August 2024, another Banksy work appeared on a City of London police sentry box. The artist painted a shoal of piranha fish over the box, which had been installed in the 1990s as part of security measures against the IRA.

The box was subsequently removed at a cost of £2,200 and was never replaced. It is due to go on display at the London Museum when it reopens in November.