Residents in Hackney, East London, are being urged to share CCTV footage after a series of attacks on street trees, notably silver birches. The vandalism includes significant damage such as snapping and stripping bark, which can be fatal for trees. Local resident Mark Westcott expressed his concern, reporting numerous incidents and labeling it a "violence against the community." Hackney Council is collaborating with police to address the issue. This follows a previous spate of vandalism in 2022, which affected over 60 trees. The attacks are being described as aggressive, prompting community advocacy for better protection.
"It's heart-breaking enough seeing the silver birches come to maturity, then to see them get ring-barked... Apparently it's a 'victimless crime'... the victim is the London borough of Hackney."
"This vandalism of young trees can be really destructive, particularly during the critical early period of their growth..."
"Residents are lobbying the council calling the vandalism 'aggressive' and 'sophisticated'... suspecting the attackers elude authorities by targeting areas without CCTV."
Collection
[
|
...
]