SPOKANE, Wash. — As the weather gets warmer, some Spokane residents say they are seeing an increase in graffiti.
According to a City of Spokane spokesperson, those residents aren't necessarily seeing an increase but city code states that it is an offense against the peace and order.
City crews are doing what they can to remove much of the graffiti but it's hard to get to every tag. When graffiti appears on businesses, it is up to owners to get rid of it.
Although the city is not seeing a pattern, many walking in downtown Spokane said it doesn't seem that way.
“I do really enjoy the art downtown. I would love to see more of the art but the curse words and all the profanity on the walls, if there was a designated area where they could do their art so everyone could enjoy it, I think that would be great,” said one gentleman passing by as city workers removed graffiti on the Monroe Street Bridge.
A woman walking her dogs in the area had a different opinion.
“I think it's really a sad situation. I think it's a waste of money the city could be using to do a whole lot [of] better things, rather than having to clean up graffiti off the walls. I also believe it's really necessary to do because otherwise it's just going to get worse and worse," she said.
A viewer reached out to us with photos from his neighborhood near Gonzaga University, saying taggers even got his car.
Luckily, a repair shop up the road showed him some sympathy deciding to remove the tag for him.
City of Spokane staff suggest doing the following to prevent graffiti tagging on your property:
- Create a barrier using vegetation or a fence to ward off potential graffiti vandals.
- Use materials and surfaces that make graffiti vandalism difficult: apply a clear coat finish to protect painted and unpainted surfaces and use protective film covering on windows.
- Keep your property well-lit and install flashing motion-sensor lighting.
- Install surveillance cameras to monitor activity on your property.
- Join or form organizations for your local business or neighborhood group to help keep eyes on the community.
You can also report any graffiti by calling 311 or using a form on the city's website.