In the urban landscape, it seems as if graffiti is intrinsic. It seems like it mindlessly exists without purpose. It almost looks as if indelible; forever marks that shall never be forgotten. 

In London, graffiti can be found in nearly all streets — scattered around and telling a story. A story as old as the city itself. For many years, people have been vandalising the city with disregard. Graffiti is considered a crime and is criminal damage. This is not wrong at all — many businesses have suffered, many communities have suffered and it has turned centres for community activity cold. There is something unwelcoming, something chilling about graffiti. It pushes people away.

Having asked a young person who lives within the London borough of Tower Hamlets about their experiences surrounding graffiti and other forms of vandalism, they stated:

 

“It has become second nature. I leave my house and the first thing I see is a wall with graffiti all over it. It feels dirty and it makes me feel like my area is dirty.”

 

London-wide, many have expressed concerns surrounding Graffiti, with 77% of Londoners believing it to be a quality of life concern. (AOLG)

Since graffiti is a crime, usually where it is found, so is a higher percentile of other forms of crime and public disorder. Some examples include littering, loitering and forms of anti-social behaviour.

 

The young person has further stated:

 

“It makes me feel endangered even though I probably am not. I guess it's draining but you get used to it, only after seeing it in your area for so long since childhood.”

 

Tower Hamlets, just like many of the other boroughs of London, has been tirelessly trying to remove graffiti and clean the city. The borough places a large sum of £400,000 a year on removing graffiti. It has helped but graffiti seems unstoppable and unremovable. 

Perhaps the reduction in graffiti lies within a larger social change — one where there is a more community-based approach to eradicate it or even perhaps accept it. No solution is absolute, but it should be known that graffiti is a crime and should not be endorsed.

 

However, there is a large culture surrounding graffiti. Within London alone, the impact of Banksy has been widespread and can be considered a great thing, adding to the urban landscape. Within Tower Hamlets, there are many displays of cultural unification through graffiti — displays of people’s ethnicity being embraced and welcomed. Some may argue that graffiti is an easily accessible art form that has been allowed to breed through the urban landscape and all the surfaces it provides, along with easy access to the medium that is used to make graffiti. Spray paint can be found in many stores and shops. 

As much as graffiti can be commemorated for adding to London’s rich culture, it should also be a reminder of the large history of crime within London as well. A history that we must aim to stop.