Everyone’s already talking about it online, but we decided quite pointedly to not run a three-column, full-color image of the graffiti left all over the Crown Memorial Beach bathing pavilion, essentially at the far western end of Otis Drive. 

Rather than draw attention to this completely selfish act, we’d rather call on local law enforcement to look into this vandalism. Sadly, we’ve already heard from Alameda Police that they “don’t follow up on graffiti” when our office building was tagged recently. 

We’re familiar with graffiti-cleaning efforts in Oakland that hold “taggers” responsible. The marks left behind on various buildings do become known to Oakland Police and when possible, these criminals are made to clean up their own markings as punishment.

Despite this, the amount of graffiti discoloring our neighboring city is unbelievable. That’s why Alameda must take a no-tolerance approach to graffiti and stop it whenever possible, even if it’s just individual by individual. Once vandals get the idea that Alameda will tolerate this behavior, it will continue, and on a larger scale. 

We have heard through the grapevine that the Alameda Peeps Facebook group was trying to assemble a party to head over to Crown Beach and repaint the facility of their own volition and expense. 

We applaud this grass-roots effort, but insist that the East Bay Regional Parks District and local law enforcement take note of this recent attack on our public 
property and take action to prevent its recurrence. 

It is also our opinion that graffiti is the product of children not receiving an arts education and learning how to express themselves constructively. 

Society can do something to prevent graffiti. Providing youth with exposure to worthwhile artistic expression may just be part of the key.