Banksy artwork removal costs UK taxpayers nearly £150,000

The removal and security costs for three artworks attributed to the anonymous street artist Banksy have reached nearly £150,000, with the bill expected to increase further. The largest expense stems from a mural painted on the Royal Courts of Justice in September 2025, which has cost the Ministry of Justice over £85,000 in cleanup and security measures.

According to figures disclosed through Freedom of Information requests, the Ministry of Justice spent £50,000 on efforts to remove paint from the Grade II-listed building in Carey Street. An additional £35,300 was incurred for overtime and security costs. The mural, which depicted a judge wielding a gavel over a protester holding a blood-spattered placard, appeared on an external wall of the Queen's Building on 8 September 2025. Banksy confirmed the work as his own via a post on his Instagram account.

A spokesperson for HM Courts and Tribunals Service stated that the Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and the service is obliged to maintain its original character. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers received a report of criminal damage on 8 September 2025 and that the investigation remains ongoing. Initial...