Graffiti trouble in Velten: Hertha BSC lettering will be removed!

Graffiti trouble in Velten: Hertha BSC lettering will be removed!

A chic piece of history is currently being kept alive in Velten, even if it is currently struggling with the removal of graffiti. An impressive 50 meter long graffiti bearing the lettering of the second division soccer team Hertha BSC adorns a brick wall on Breite Straße. But the fun is over because Mayor Ines Hübner (SPD) is anything but happy about this graffiti. The specialist company “Graffiti Tiger” began removing it on Monday morning. The fight against graffiti was also reflected in the choice of means: First, an alkaline solution was used before the graffiti was removed with a high-pressure hose.

The city administration had already filed a complaint against unknown persons on August 1st after the first traces of graffiti were discovered on July 29th. In the following nights the graffiti increased. “This is an unpleasant development,” said Jörg Heger from the clearance company. The costs for the removal amount to a mid-four-digit amount. The increase in graffiti, especially from football clubs, is a phenomenon that does not only affect Velten. An increase was also noted in other cities, as can be seen, among other things, in the Munich police investigations into increased graffiti by football fans.

Vandalism as a problem for society as a whole

Last year, Deutsche Bahn suffered enormous damage from vandalism in connection with football games. As the rbb24 reported, the annual costs amount to around two million euros. The reason for the increase in such acts is often group dynamic processes and the influence of alcohol, as determined by fan researchers. The clubs are held responsible for their own responsibility when it comes to the costs of the damage caused to their fans. The police union has even called for football clubs to cover the costs of vandalism caused by their fans in some kind of special trains.

This highlights an ongoing problem in the football environment: the responsibility of fans and clubs. Hertha BSC has expressed criticism of liability, but at the same time relies on better cooperation between clubs and fans as the key to preventing vandalism. “A real solution lies in joint prevention work,” emphasizes a club representative.

Looking for solutions

The challenges are diverse. In Munich, the crime scenes for graffiti are strategically chosen, often near the Allianz Arena. Since December 2022, the police have identified over 80 reports of damage from spray-painted signs and bridges. Suspects have already been arrested in several cases, but police expect the graffiti to reappear quickly after it has been removed. Another indication that this form of vandalism is deeply rooted in the culture of football fans.

The important question remains how to deal with all this. An increased police presence is often viewed as ineffective. Instead, according to the experts, the focus should be on strengthening fan projects and a stable dialogue between clubs and supporters. This could not only reduce violence and vandalism around stadiums, but also promote better understanding and a stronger community.