From the inbox:Yesterday on my way over to the park I spotted two guys tagging the bridge that leads from Greenwood Playground to Prospect Ave. About halfway over the bridge (over the expressway) I looked down to see them tagging the bridge. As I rode a little further along the bridge (I was biking) I saw them stop and tag again. It was a little after 6pm and the bridge was busy! I passed a family on my way over then another as I was exiting. I was able to take a few pictures of them in action but through the chain link of the fence. The ride down the bridge proved to be pretty toxic as the smell of spray paint was still in the air. After my last pic (I got the back of them walking on Prospect Ave) one turned and saw me about a second after I clicked. When he saw the camera he yelled something about me being a snitch. I yelled back (pedaling feverishly, nervous they'd try and grab the camera) to stop defacing property.
We've included the pictures this reader forwarded in hopes someone knows these two. We know some wonder why we spend so much time on this stuff but generally feel its an important issue. First, the damage these taggers cause uses public funds for the clean up that could be better spent. Secondly, the damage to private property is just plain wrong. We know of a local homeowner who can't afford to remove the tags on the side of his beautiful brick home and has been waiting months for the city's clean up crew. This poor guy has 'backfat' and some other misc graffiti 'work' on the entire side of his home. Because the tags are on brick it requires a special power wash or chemical to remove, not a cheap fix!
We'll be forwarding this post to the 66 and hope the word will get out and deter a few local 'artists' from tagging in Kensington.
