Elche ‘declares war’ on graffiti

Graffiti in Elche might not last much longer. At least, that’s what the Elche City Council wants. They’ve reaffirmed their dedication to protecting history and made it harder for people to put silkscreens and graffiti on monuments, walls, and other public property.

The mayor, Pablo Ruz, made it clear that the council will take the “firmest” stand possible against this kind of behaviour. The people responsible will face more financial penalties and even legal action. Any action that harms the look and safety of public areas is seen as a “threat” by the government. “We are committed to putting an end to these acts of vandalism,” Ruz told me.

Three criminals have been caught

In this case, the Local Police of Elche said in a public statement yesterday that they have recently caught three people—two children and an adult—writing more than 100 pieces of graffiti on city walls, fences, and traffic signs. They say the damage is more than 3,000 euros, which is “significant economic damage” for the municipality.

It was made clear by the mayor that the parents of the children would have to pay for the damage as well as the fine, which is between 750 and 3,000 euros. The City Council has stated that the adult in question will have to pay the fine and also go through legal proceedings.

Dedicated unit to fight vandalism

To deal with this issue, the Local Police set up a special unit called the Urban and Environmental Unit (UMA) seven years ago. Its job is to oversee the upkeep of public and heritage areas and to investigate and punish vandalism. This team has helped cut down on vandalism in the city and has caught 30 people so far for this kind of crime.

“There is no place for vandalism in Elche,” Ruz said, “and the Local Police will be firm in this matter.” He also praised the UMA agents for their work in keeping an eye on these crimes and bringing them to justice. This has helped Elche become known as one of the towns with “the cleanest walls in Spain” and the first in the Levante region.

Places for public art

Though the City Council is trying to stop illegal graffiti, they also want to encourage urban art in a controlled way. In order to do this, it is looking for facades and party walls where graffiti artists can officially express their art with the help of the government. Ruz said, “We need to make it very clear what art is and what is graffiti and vandalism.”

The mayor also told people that putting ads, posters, or stickers on street lights is also against the law because it hurts the city’s image.

According to José Eugenio Medina, the local police commissioner, the UMA and the municipal brigades have worked together to keep Elche’s history in great shape. This has made the city a model for fighting urban vandalism.