Ramp up punishment for graffiti vandals
The owners of Black Market in Dudley Square discovered Tuesday that their building had been vandalized. Someone had spray painted “White Lives Matter” on the side of the market, which showcases goods made by minority artists.
Kai Grant, one of the owners, told the Herald, “It just takes the wind out of you.” The market is set to open for the season on Sunday.
At this point we don’t know who is responsible for this vandalism or the mindset and ideology of the perpetrator, but the particular message is certainly meant to antagonize and stoke racial tensions. The marketplace is a positive environment. It is unacceptable that anybody, and especially minority children, would have to experience hateful sentiments in such a friendly setting.
Mayor Walsh’s statement on the matter was spot on: “Any defacement of other people’s property is a crime, and will not be tolerated. I know we have it in us to do better, as I saw this weekend during One Boston Day — and as Bostonians we need to continue striving towards acting with kindness and goodwill every day of the year.”
The bigger issue is that defacement of property is not a rare occurrence in Dudley Square and in many municipalities in the commonwealth. Whether it’s “tagger” graffiti, “gang” graffiti or graffiti motivated by racial hatred, vandals act with near impunity and proudly deface property everywhere. The fix is usually out-of-pocket for property owners. It takes mere seconds to blight a building and tarnish entire neighborhoods.
According to a 2016 Department of Justice report, “There are huge public costs associated with graffiti: An estimated $12 billion a year is spent cleaning up graffiti in the United States. Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced ridership on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of gang activity.”
Punishment for offenders should be harsh and appropriate. The visual of the vandal spending the weekend scrubbing spray paint off of buildings would be a pleasing one indeed.
Thankfully, security camera systems are more affordable than ever, and there are strategies being employed around the country that are yielding results. In Massachusetts in recent years there have been some major law enforcement successes, including one in Brighton last summer in which police caught the “tagger” in the act, with the paint can in hand. He was linked to another incident and charged with “Damage to Property by Graffiti/ Tagging” in both.
“I’m four generations Roxbury. We’re not going anywhere. We are here to stay. We are here for a purpose,” said Grant.
Let’s protect and celebrate neighborhood patriots like Grant and hope all the vendors of Black Market enjoy a fruitful and harmonious season.