Three Banksy murals have reportedly cost the UK taxpayers almost $200,000 in removal and maintenance costs.
The mysterious street artist is well-known for his public murals, which appear overnight and are often not recognized until the artist posts their pictures on his Instagram account. Once public, the sites often become public attractions. Sometimes, the murals are created in locations where such is not allowed. Other times, the murals run the risk of getting vandalized or uprooted by people hoping to earn a quick buck (Banksy murals and paintings easily sell for millions).
For this reason, the UK authorities have a hard time protecting, cleaning and maintaining the sites. Since 2024, the efforts have cost the British taxpayers a total of $204,000, as per a response to the BBC under a Freedom of Information request.
The biggest culprit has undoubtedly been the controversial mural on the wall of the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Created late last year, the mural depicts a judge in a wig striking a protester with his hammer. The authorities immediately covered up the area and have been working on removing the mural without damaging the wall itself. So far, the removal efforts have cost $67,000, and an additional $48,000 was spent on the security and staff who had to work overtime at night when the workers did their duty. After the manual cleaning attempts failed, authorities are now using laser technology to remove it. If that failed as well, they might have to simply remove the affected parts of the wall altogether. So in all likelihood, the cost is only expected to keep rising.
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Another Banksy project, a mural installed in Waterloo Place, cost the Westminster City Council a pretty penny in barriers, security and other administrative costs. The council said in April that the final bill was $81,000. The statue is now under the city council, which is deciding what to do with it next. Even before that, in 2024, the City of London removed a public phone booth that was transformed into a painted piranha fish. The efforts cost almost $3000; the booth will go on public display at the London Museum in November.
