MUGGINGS AND GRAFITTI CREATE NEW GANG FEAR

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22 August 2008

By Gavriel Hollander
gav@southwarknews.org

A PRESTIGIOUS sculpture in one of Rotherhithe's most picturesque spots may have become the focal point for a territorial battle between rival graffiti gangs.

Michael Rizzello's monument showing a historic map of the area sits at the top of Stave Hill in Russia Dock Woodland. It was initially defaced by a tag that said "O.Territory", meaning 'Our Territory' and seeming to indicate the possible start of a turf war.

Residents say it has taken Southwark Council over three weeks to begin work to clean up the sculpture, during which time other territorial tags have appeared alongside the original.

The graffiti was first discovered and reported on July 27, but it took Southwark Council's cleaning team several days to respond. The team are said to have claimed that they could not remove the tag, as their hoses could not reach the site. As of the start of this week, the graffiti was still visible on the side of the sculpture, with broken glass now lying at its base.

Andie Byrnes, of the Friends of Russia Dock Woodland, said: "Graffiti comes with a legacy of ideas about social decay. This is not a message which we want to convey on one of our most notable landmarks. It is an expression of territorialism and potential conflict. It could inspire additional territorial statements - not just graffiti."

The incident has only served to fuel growing local concern about gang crime in Rotherhithe following a series of attacks last Tuesday August 12.

A group of four youths, allegedly from Deptford, are said to have carried out two muggings within minutes of each other in the area around Russia Dock Woodland, one on a brother and sister aged nine and ten.

The youths are reported to have told the first victim - a sixteen-year-old girl walking home from work - that they were from a gang known as the Peckham Young Guns. They said: "Tell the Downtown boys their time is over. We are taking over."

Police confirmed that the robberies took place but are still investigating whether the two incidents were related. A fourteen-year-old boy was arrested and released on bail until September. Police are still looking for further suspects, described as black boys aged between twelve and fifteen. Anyone with any information should contact DC Jo Pimm at Southwark robbery squad on 020 7232 7544 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The News contacted Southwark Council about the graffiti, but had received no response at the time of going to press.

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