pilot project
Sunak wants to tame graffiti sprayers with safety vests
For Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of Great Britain, graffiti disrupts everyday life. photo
© Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters Pool via AP/dpa
Graffiti can definitely cause damage. In order to reduce the amount of illegal street painting and residents to feel safe, the British Prime Minister has presented an idea.
The British government wants to crack down on vandalism, graffiti and minor crimes. Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced today that those responsible should clean up the damage within 48 hours of being ordered to do so.
They should wear bright high-visibility jackets and be supervised. This is intended to demonstrate to the population that justice is being done, the BBC quoted from a government announcement. Where the damage has already been repaired, other tasks such as garbage collection or volunteer work in shops should arise.
A pilot project is initially planned in ten areas, and the project is then to be introduced nationwide in England and Wales in 2024. Critics accuse the conservative government of increasingly presenting itself as a “law and order” force. However, the causes would not be adequately combated.
“For too long people have endured the scourge of antisocial behavior in their neighborhoods,” Sunak said. “These are not petty crimes. They disrupt everyday life, hold businesses back, and undermine the sense of security and community that brings people together.”