Dealing with graffiti

Graffiti is something that degrades neighbourhoods. The sight of buildings tagged with paint can turn pleasant urban environments into sprawling jungles of competing tags. Graffiti reduces civic pride and even a sense of safety. As with ‘broken windows,’ allowing small infractions of the law can lead to larger ones.

Graffiti management varies greatly by country and even by city, with Belgium’s approach, a mix of prevention, rapid removal, and tolerance zones, showing what can be done.

Belgian graffiti isn’t always removed instantly, but major cities like Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent do act relatively quickly, especially on public infrastructure such as train stations, metro walls and public buildings.

STIB/MIVB (Brussels public transport), for example, has rapid-response cleaning teams that remove graffiti within 24–48 hours on trams and metro stations. SNCB/NMBS (national rail) also has contracts with specialized cleaning companies for stations and trains, aiming for fast removal, because quick cleaning tends to discourage repeat tagging.

Municipal buildings and private property, however, depend on local regulations. Some communes subsidize graffiti removal for private owners or offer cleanup services if reported.

There are effective strategies used in Belgium and elsewhere. One is rapid removal, the ‘clean wall’ policy. Graffiti is removed within 24–48 hours and it is shown to reduce new tags significantly.

Then there is anti-graffiti coatings, Transparent sealants make cleanup easier and prevent paint from soaking in.

An unusual approach is the creation of designated graffiti zones, legal walls where it is permitted. Cities such as Ghent and Brussels have legal graffiti walls where artists can paint freely. This channels creativity away from vandalism.

Community art projects have a role to play because murals and street art programmes reduce unwanted tagging because taggers tend to avoid defacing large, respected artworks.

Surveillance and lighting play a part because well-lit, monitored areas attract less vandalism. Public awareness and engagement help, with schools and community campaigns emphasizing respect for shared spaces; this can help long-term.

Belgium’s model is fairly successful overall in high-visibility areas, but tags in backstreets or abandoned sites can linger, as happens in most European cities.

It helps to understand why people, mostly teen boys, do graffiti. Vandalism can be a way for teenagers to seek attention or recognition, whether through tagging, graffiti, or other forms of public expression. Exposure to media, art, or music can glamourize vandalism or rebellious behaviour. Many engage in graffiti as a means of self-expression, social identity formation, or rebellion against societal norms.

Madsen Pirie