Exclusive: TfL removed a beloved Banksy mural on Brick Lane in London

Transport for London (TfL) jet-washed a Banksy mural off a railway bridge over Brick Lane in east London.

The painting was hosed off on 4th December. Workers reportedly weren’t sure of the reason why, but had ‘just been told to’.

Banksy being jet washed away on Brick Lane. Workers say they don’t know why, ‘just been told to’ pic.twitter.com/sR4d47jbHG

— Anna Moloney (@annamolo_) December 5, 2024

TfL confirmed to The Tab that they owned this bridge. A spokesperson for TfL explained to The Tab, “There are rules in place around graffiti or unauthorised art on the TfL network and there are good reasons why these must be followed.

“Sometimes graffiti or unauthorised art can attract more graffiti, which encourages trespassing and anti-social activity that poses a danger to the operational railway and customers, so this piece had to be removed.”

The painting of three monkeys on Brick Lane, as pictured in August

The mural was off three monkeys hanging from the bridge. It was part of a series of artworks Banksy painted this summer of animals escaping from London Zoo and causing chaos across the city. Banksy claimed credit for the monkeys on his Instagram on 7th August. A protective glass cover was placed over the painting, but the mural was eventually washed off anyway.

The painting was a popular attraction on Brick Lane. Tourists and TikTokers frequently posed for pictures next to it. Some people theorised the three monkeys were a reference to the Japanese proverb ““See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.

The bridge over Brick Lane, where the mural was

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TfL has a strict policy about graffiti, regardless of who painted it. Back in 2020, TfL got rid of another Banksy mural in London. The painting was inside the carriage of a Circle Line train, and depicted a rat with hand sanitiser. The piece was supposed to encourage people to wear face masks on public transport. According to the BBC, the cleaners were unaware the painting was by Banksy, and just cleaned it off in the same way they would any other graffiti.

Featured image of the TfL worker via X.