MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Frustration reaches an all time high in one Berclair neighborhood after vandals keep spray painting gang symbols and profanity outside a middle school.
“It’s bringing all of the wrong attention,” said Allanah Kiener. “Every time I come past here, they’re always repainting, but they spray all over again.” She’s talking about the wood fence covered in graffiti in front of Kingsbury Middle SChool on North Graham.
“This is a main route in and out of the neighborhood,” said Charles Fossett. “This right here. It has to be kids.”
The fence has become the center of attention for quite some time as vandals continuously tag it, and neighbors try to stop it. Even some sixth graders at Kingsbury joined the fight.
Memphis police helped them paint part of the fence three years ago. “It feels like my community is getting help,” one of the kids had told WREG.
But the ruthless vandals didn’t care. They painted right over the kids’ work.
“It just makes the neighborhood look bad. It also decreases the value of the houses,” said Jose Salazar. He said he feels helpless too. The fence sits on his mother’s property. They installed security cameras, but said the vandals still come back every other week. “So many times we got to paint over it, and we get tired of it,” said Salazar.
Its’ tireless battle neighbors just can’t seem to win.
“We`re trying to make the community better,” said Kiener.
MPD said they’re looking into painting the fence again this semester. They will continue to look into the problem and ask you call them anytime you see vandalism.