A £3,000 blank wall built for teenage graffiti artists by a council was painted by a disgruntled taxpayer with the slogan: "I paid my tax and all I got was this lousy wall".Please excuse any misspellings in this post. It’s hard to type this, as I’m trying desperately to wipe the tears of mirth from my eyes…
The 6ft high by 30ft long wall was installed so youths could practice their graffiti artwork without vandalising local property.
But ahead of its opening on October 31 a fed-up resident sneaked behind a security fence and daubed a protest about the use of taxpayer's money.
The wall, in Wadebridge, Cornwall, was funded by Wadebridge Town Council, Wadebridge Town Forum and North Cornwall District Council.So, a policeman thought this up? As part of a cunning plan to lure vandals to the wall, arrest and then charge them? Or obtain samples of their handiwork for forensic analysis and later action? Good going, Sgt Moorcroft!
It was built in the town's Jubilee Park and was the brainchild of Sergeant Robin Moorcroft who has vowed to investigate the graffiti.
Oh.
Wait…
He said it is "ironic" because most of the cost was subsidised by local businesses who supplied free materials and labour.Sorry..? Did I read that right?
"The ironic thing is that the wall has been built thanks to the generosity of local people giving time and resources for free," he said.
"But it is now going to cost the taxpayer, as we will have to crime it, investigate it and paint over it.
‘Most’ of the resources were donated, so it’s ok that the rest was not, and that this barmy plan got off the ground in the first place?
You now have to ‘paint over it’ so the vandals have a pristine blank canvas again? Why, will it put them off their artistic stroke if you don’t?
It was put up for the ‘free expression’ of vandals, but the ‘free expression’ of a taxpayer fed up with the people paid to prevent this sort of behaviour pandering to criminals is suddenly a heinous crime deserving of your time?
Now I truly understand the expression ‘going native’. Sgt Moorcroft doesn’t belong in uniform:
"We have been working hard to try to provide something positive for the community and this coward and their juvenile delinquent act has set a terrible example to the youth of the town.Have I fallen down the rabbit hole? This self-satisfied, public-pensioned, oh-so-right-on little creep is whining that his grand plan to provide free space for vandals has been ‘ruined’ by someone else painting on the bloody wall put up for the vandals to paint on…?
"All residents were given the opportunity to raise objections during the planning process. This person could have come and spoken to us instead of committing this petty act.
"To paint graffiti on the wall and remain anonymous shows this person has no courage, I would have more respect if he or she came forward and admitted responsibility."
But one resident added: "I suppose you could say the writing is on the wall. People around here think the money could be better spent on more worthy projects.In other words – “Shove off, Sgt Moorcroft, and take your trendy ideas with you. Do the job you’re paid to do. Hint: that isn’t to be a ‘youth advocate’.’
"It seems like an awful waste of time and money - especially during a credit crunch."
" "But it is now going to cost the taxpayer, as we will have to crime it, investigate it and paint over it."
ReplyDeleteWhat crime could they charge the aggrieved taxpayer with? Vandalising a graffiti wall?
Using a public facility for its stated purpose?
It's a puzzle, isn't it...?
ReplyDelete"But it is now going to cost the taxpayer, as we will have to crime it, investigate it and paint over it."
ReplyDeleteIf they were capable of investigating graffiti vandalism, then they wouldn't need the wall would they?
Couldn't they just build a second wall for angry taxpayers to express their dissatisfaction with building the first wall?
I bet Moorcroft will find the disgruntled taxpayer - and the CPS (?) will prosecute (for what - I've no idea but they'll find something). Moorcroft will put in hours and hours of his time (paid for by the taxpayer) to find the miscreant who - as NNW says - (and this is truly ironic) has used a public facility for its stated purpose.
ReplyDelete"Couldn't they just build a second wall for angry taxpayers to express their dissatisfaction with building the first wall?"
ReplyDeleteThere's an idea!
Or, we could just build a second wall to put the likes of Sgt Moorcroft, Magistrate Pomeroy and their ilk up against...
Couldn't they just build a second wall for angry taxpayers to express their dissatisfaction with building the first wall?
ReplyDeletePure Genius.
Thank you for brightening my morning!
Oh dear, what a waste of everyone's time.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have half-way made sense of this, but what worries me is, perhaps the person who wrote the message was in fact a local graffiti 'artist' doing his best to wind up law-abiding citizens? In which case you fell for it hook line and sinker.
ReplyDelete"what worries me is, perhaps the person who wrote the message was in fact a local graffiti 'artist' doing his best to wind up law-abiding citizens?"
ReplyDeleteAh, the old double-bluff, eh? Cunning, very cunning, Mr W....
Sgt Moorcroft - a 100% successful graduate of modern police training. Expect many, many more of them in the near future.
ReplyDeleteThe old bastard who may or may not have beaten you with his truncheon seems like a fond memory.
"Couldn't they just build a second wall for angry taxpayers to express their dissatisfaction with building the first wall?"
ReplyDeleteHah, very good.