La Laguna City Council has opened an investigation to identify those responsible for the vandalism that left graffiti on facades, doors, and urban furniture in the historic centre, declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
The Local Police of La Laguna is already reviewing footage from the surveillance cameras in the historic centre to track down the authors of the graffiti that appeared in the early hours of Wednesday on several facades, doors, and elements of urban furniture. The City Council, through the Citizen Security and Municipal Services departments, has activated an investigation plan that also includes the collection of other evidence in the area.
The Councillor for Citizen Security, Badel Albelo, has stated that “we will put all means at our disposal to identify the authors of these vandalic acts. Those who act in this way should know that they will not go unpunished.” Albelo has made a call for citizen collaboration, urging anyone who witnessed the events or has information to inform the Local Police.
The City Council considers these acts a “serious aggression” against the historic ensemble, which holds World Heritage status. The Councillor for Municipal Services, Fran Hernández, has estimated that the City Council spends nearly €100,000 annually to remove graffiti and repair the damages from vandalism. “These are public resources that come from the pockets of all the residents of La Laguna and could be invested in further improving our towns and neighbourhoods,” lamented Hernández.
Cleaning efforts have already begun to restore the affected areas to their original state as soon as possible. The City Council has reminded that municipal ordinances impose fines of up to €3,000 for such infractions, in addition to the obligation to cover repair costs. In the most serious cases, the incidents may be referred to the criminal courts if they constitute a crime against public property.
Hernández has emphasised that “those who carry out these graffiti not only deteriorate a facade or an element of urban furniture; they damage the image of the historic centre, harm residents, merchants, and visitors, and demonstrate a complete lack of respect for our history.” The councillor has insisted that the protection of the historic centre is a shared responsibility and has called for civic responsibility to preserve a space that is part of the municipality's identity.
The investigation remains open and further proceedings are not ruled out as evidence is analysed. The City Council has reiterated its commitment to act firmly within the current regulations to demand accountability.
You may also like
