‘SADNESS’

Photo by Alex Fakso

This last long weekend ended with some tragic news that is sweeping the graffiti world’s social networks and media in general. The Vigo Daily was the first to announce that three youths had been run over by a train in the Portuguese town, Maia. Sources indicate that it was a group of 5 people between 17 and 20 years old, that had jumped onto the tracks to paint a parked train.

Train graffiti at times becomes a dangerous activity, and not just because of its legal consequences. We sometimes forget about the physical risk posed by painted in areas where trains travel, and the consequences can be fatal.

Although these risks are what makes these activities more exciting – much in the same way as in practicing high-risk sports such as mountain climbing or extreme-skiing – this type of news is an unpleasant tragedy, above all to the people who are closest to the victims. But the saddest thing of all, is that this same feeling isn’t shared by everyone.  We’re not referring to anyone in particular; social network users and newspaper readers gloat over the deaths of these kids because of their status as vandals, as if it were some sort of deserved punishment for an act of physical violence. Nothing could be further away from the truth in this case.

Maybe we should ask ourselves some questions about it all: Can death be justified for an act such as painting where the system doesn’t allow it? Can private property and human life be placed on the same scale? What about respect for the victims’ family members? What kind of hate causes one to brag about the death of someone who was just painting?

We join in sorrow of the families and friends of the victims, and send them our condolences, and call for caution, and for mutual respect among people.