THREE Banksy artworks have cost public bodies almost £150,000 in cleaning, security and other costs, with the bill expected to rise.
The largest cost relates to a mural painted on the Royal Courts of Justice in London on September 8, 2025. The Ministry of Justice has spent £50,000 trying to remove the paint, while a further £35,300 was spent on overtime and security. The spending was disclosed to the BBC through Freedom of Information requests.
The mural showed a judge in a wig battering a protester with his gavel. Banksy claimed the work by posting it on his website and Instagram.
A HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesperson said: "The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character."
The Metropolitan Police said: "On Monday, 8 September officers received a report of criminal damage to the side of the Royal Courts of Justice.
"At this time, no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing."
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said: "It's outrageous that tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money – maybe more – will have to be spent cleaning up after Banksy, who seems to believe he has a right to deface public buildings with impunity."
Art critic Estelle Lovatt said: "Some people visit Buckingham Palace and others visit Banksy's art."
Westminster City Council has also spent almost £60,000 on Banksy's statue in Waterloo Place, while a 2024 piranha mural on a City of London Police sentry box cost £2,200 to remove.
