ANTI-GRAFFITI CAMPAIGNER Paul Waters has slammed the practice of’ ‘tagging’ – spraying a signature or ‘tag’ onto any surface which can be viewed by the public.
“Taggers have no regard to the monetary and visual damage they cause,” says the Bangalow real estate agent.
Mr Waters links tagging activities with legitimate Byron Youth Activity Centre programs.
“These gangs come from Brisbane or Gold Coast to paint at the YAC and while they are in town their small tags pop up all over the region on power poles, bus stops and private property,” he says.
“It also seems raging goes hand-in-hand with some of the street art activities, in particular the large format tag which they try to pass off as art.”
Paul has spent thousands of dollars on paint and cleaning agents over the years in his tireless anti-graffiti campaign.
He lists, as a case in point, the recent damage done to a van owned by BAY FM’s Sean Latham.
“The tag which caused around $7000 of damage to Sean’s van is by a person calling him/herself 1LS,” he said.
“The 1LS tag has been around for years, a copycat of a European gang calling itself The 1 Litre Squad.”
Byron YAC didn’t respond in time for our publication deadline.