Iconic pieces of street art by the elusive artist Banksy have cost the taxpayer around £150,000 in security and removal fees. A mural on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice has cost the Department of Justice £85,000 so far in security fees and clean-up efforts.
Royal Courts of Justice mural
A painting of a judge wielding a gavel at a protester lying on the floor with a bloodied placard appeared on the side of the Grade II-listed London building in September 2025. The artwork was quickly covered with large plastic sheets and metal barriers while clean-up efforts started.
The Ministry of Justice has spent £50,000 so far trying to remove the mural, while an extra £35,300 had gone towards security fees and overtime, according to a Freedom of Information request by the BBC.
Other costly works
Other works of art that resulted in big bills for the taxpayer include a statue of a man carrying a flag which covered his face, on a plinth in Waterloo Place, near Trafalgar Square. £60,000 was spent by Westminster City Council on security guard and admin.
Another costly piece of art was a police sentry box in the City of London, which was sprayed with images of piranhas in 2024. This set back the City of London Police £2,200 to remove the box.
