The amount of graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods is distressing residents and upsetting parents who claim that the vandalisms could be linked to gangs and criminal activities.
In an exclusive on Fox News, downtown resident Christine Villani said she feels demoralized because the graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods looks like they are living "in a war zone." Dad Ari Hoffman noted that the vandalisms are like territorial marks by these gang members, inviting more crime in the community.
The parents decry that, and the local government is not doing anything about it. Residents or businesses are left to clean up after the damages left by these individuals.
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Reporting Graffiti in Seattle
Seattle residents are very aware of the rise in vandalism because the local government has a mobile app, "Find It, Fix It," for reporting various problems in the Emerald City since 2013. However, at the height of the pandemic lockdowns, users of the app noticed increased reports of graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods with pictures of the ugliness in their streets.
The vandals do not spare any space and have spray-painted graffiti even in historical and educational sites. Businesses like restaurants and retailers have also expressed that their customers and workers are turned off as graffiti equate to petty crimes like harassment, break-ins, or drug use.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, who took office in January 2022, announced in early February that he is diverting resources towards the Seattle Police Department to focus on crime "hot spots" that could potentially curb vandalism and other safety issues. However, the locals, especially in the crime-riddled neighborhood of Little Saigon, have taken matters into their own hands by brainstorming solutions, albeit short-term, given that there are only six government workers in the Graffiti Rangers team.
Meanwhile, the government has advised property owners to install proper lighting, motion sensors, or CCTV devices to deter vandals. They also suggested growing vines on their walls or painting these with graffiti-resistant coating.
Dads Creating Awe-Inspiring Chalk Art
While Seattle has been riddled with tasteless graffiti, it's a different story in San Diego and Florida, where dads are leaving creative chalk artworks much to the delight of the locals.
Erick Toussaint and Brian Morris said they started drawing chalk art on walls and sidewalks during the pandemic lockdowns to amuse their kids. They have kept at it more than two years into the public health crisis.
Both fathers have also created a social media following, where people post their requests for more drawings. While Toussaint draws actual artistic images, such as Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Morris draws familiar cartoon characters.
Unlike the graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods, these chalk artworks will wash away easily when it rains, when bikers ride past the pavement, or when street cleaners clean off the graffiti.
In Orange County, on the other hand, more than 200 families regularly participate in an event they created during the pandemic called Sidewalk Chalk Fridays, where kids and adults alike draw chalk graffiti to amuse themselves, enjoy the outdoors and get their vitamin D, as well as engage in a socially-distanced activity with their neighbors.
