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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 4 January 2007
 
Having nothing to do does not excuse this vandalism

YOUR report about the criminal vandalism by graffiti yobs at Camden Town station is alarming for a number of reasons (Tube graffiti guerrillas leave greetings and a bill, Dec 28).
These mindless people, presumably teenage, under-educated and out-of-control, seem quite unable to understand that damaging public or business property costs us all money, including themselves and their families.
When they doubtless claim that “there are no facilities and nothing else for them to do”, they presumably can’t quite work out that the money now having to be spent on repairing the damage caused by their criminal vandalism will divert funds that could have been used for the good of local people.
Indeed, yet more money will now be spent on security cameras and guards.
Their vandalism will alienate yet more people who might have been well disposed to them. Certainly, users of Camden Town Tube station, both locals and visitors, will be more wary and feel less safe, as the graffiti is indeed an indication of a sub-culture of out-of-control youth. This may put people off using the Tube in Camden Town, and also it may put off visitors from coming to Camden Town, sensing it is not worth the risk.
From your photograph you published which shows Tube information panels obliterated, it is clear that the yobs who daubed paint on the station are indeed unintelligent, and care not about the inconvenience that the loss of signage and information will cause passengers.
I hope that the police are able to catch these criminals soon.
These morons obviously know their paint daubing is a crime, for they invariably conduct their daubing in the silent hours.
I trust that the magistrates will require these scum to clean up some of London’s graffiti as part of a harsh sentence.
You also report that some commuters were impressed by the actions of these criminal yobs. That in itself is alarming. Presumably these people, too, do not understand right from wrong, so that they find some crime – and daubing paint on other people’s property is a crime – acceptable? It is just as alarming, though, that you report it. These vandals are, presumably, sufficiently unintelligent that they might read your article and take some pleasure at the implied approbation.
Perhaps I am expecting too much of these criminals, though, suggesting that reading is something they do?
It is time we wised up. To use the words “graffiti” or “artist” in the context of these crimes is plain daft.
Let us call a spade a spade. We should reserve the word “graffiti” to describe a particular type of “art” that is conducted within the law; similarly, for “artist”.
If these activities are outside the law, then we should use more appropriate terms – “unsightly, immature, pathetic paint-daubing” by “criminal yobs”.
The vandalism at Camden Town Tube station is, after all, is nothing less than all of these words.
LESTER MAY
Reachview Close
NW1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.
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