Smile tagger is back as graffiti artist targets Holbrooks street

[dutchman]

The word 'Smile' has been sprayed on electricity boxes along Roland Avenue



The 'smile' graffiti artist has struck in Coventry once again. The unknown individual has made his mark across the city for the past two years and appears to have gone quiet in recent months - until now.

The slogan has been sprayed across various buildings and boards across Coventry to the dismay of locals in the area. Now a new photo, taken by a Coventry resident, shows the recognisable tag sprayed across several electricity boxes along Roland Avenue in Holbrooks.

The resident has lashed out at the eyesore and said the vandalism sets a bad example to children in the area. She told CoventryLive: "There are six nurseries and schools in this area.

"It doesn't set a very good example to them. The graffiti makes Holbrooks look dirty and paints a picture that the people within the community have no respect, to vandalise property that doesn't belong to them.

"Thankfully the word isn't offensive or a swear word, just doesn't need to happen in my opinion. It's been popping up everywhere, shop shutters, bus stops, electrical boxes, high voltage electrical sheds, fences and even advertising boards."

Earlier in February, the elusive tagger targeted the Coventry Building Society. The building, which was being refurbished, was surrounded by blue boards which were then sprayed with the 'smile' slogan.

The tagger has been caught on CCTV several times, and is believed to have started his graffiti spree during the second lockdown last year. The tag has been spotted across various sites in the city, including buildings, shop shutter, bus stops and on main roads.

The slogan has become to common that even families started to play spot the 'smile' tag with children on their car journeys. Not everyone has taken a liking to the 'smile' logo.

Coventry councillor Lindsley Harvard of the Longford ward has criticised the 'unlawful' graffiti plaguing the streets of Coventry. He previously told CoventryLive: "Graffiti painted on unauthorised sites is unlawful and all-too-often destructive because of the difficulty and expense of removal. And sometimes the messages themselves can be hurtful.

"It is therefore an antisocial act that we cannot condone. If people who do this really want to make a mark, they can earn respect from us all through making useful contributions to the community, such as helping run food banks or activities for young people."

[dutchman]

Plea for action as Smile graffiti leads to "endless game of cat and mouse" in Coventry



People are calling for action on Coventry's infamous 'smile' graffiti after efforts to remove the tag saw it return in a matter of days. The notorious tag first spotted in 2021 has been sprayed on buildings across the city, sparking criticism online and from councillors across parties.

Two councillors have now sent a letter to the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner about the problem which they say is "blighting" the city. Sherbourne Cllrs Ryan Simpson and Jackie Gardiner, and campaigner Stephen Smith, have asked Simon Foster to tell them how he will work with local police to catch the culprit.

In the letter shared on social media last week, they say the graffiti is causing a huge waste of the city's resources who are "involved in an endless game of cat and mouse."

"An individual has taken to writing smile across our built environment and as fast as it is removed, it reappears," they write. "In a recent case in Coundon, in Sherbourne ward, within one week of cleaning up a substation, the graffiti had returned. This is frustrating for all concerned."

"Coventry has just celebrated its year as City of Culture, but this graffiti is not not the kind of culture we want to have emblazoned all across our cherished communities," they add.

The trio then referred to another case in the Midlands where a person spreading graffiti was caught after "a concerted and co-ordinated effort. This involved placing an order upon the individual, prohibiting them from being in a public place with a can of spray paint or marker pens. Following this, incidents of graffiti reduced by a staggering 85%," they said.

"We would like to know how you will be working with the local police in Coventry to mount a concerted effort to catch the individual blighting the built landscape."

[rebbonk]

Jesus H Christ! Whilst this is an annoyance, I think we have bigger issues to deploy police officers to!