Vandalism

Vandalism is the intentional destruction or damage of property that belongs to others or to the public. This includes acts like graffiti and defacement carried out without the owner’s consent.

The word comes from the Vandals, an ancient Germanic people. They became associated with pointless destruction after sacking Rome in 455 AD under King Genseric. During the Enlightenment, Rome was seen as an ideal, and the Vandals—along with the Goths—were blamed for its ruin. Though they may not have been more destructive than other invaders, the Vandals did deliberately damage statues, which likely linked their name to the destruction of art. The English poet John Dryden wrote in 1694 about Goths and Vandals defacing monuments. The term *vandalisme* was coined in 1794 by Henri Grégoire, bishop of Blois, to describe the destruction of artwork during the French Revolution. It quickly spread across Europe and reinforced the idea that the Vandals were a barbaric, destructive group.

Historically, vandalism has been justified as a political act. Painter Gustave Courbet, during the 1871 Paris Commune, tried to dismantle the Vendôme column because it symbolized war and conquest. This was one of the most famous acts of vandalism. After the Commune, philosopher Nietzsche reflected on the “fight against culture,” citing the burning of the Tuileries Palace. A later writer, Klossowski, paraphrased Nietzsche: “The criminal fight against culture is only the reverse side of a criminal culture.”

In 1933, Raphael Lemkin proposed two new international crimes at a conference in Madrid: barbarity (extermination of racial, religious, or social groups) and vandalism (destruction of their cultural and artistic works). The proposal was not accepted. The term vandalism has also been used figuratively against the theology of Marcion of Sinope.

As a crime, vandalism occurs when private citizens willfully damage or deface others’ property or shared public spaces. Some vandalism is seen as artistic, even if illegal, such as graffiti art, billboard “liberation,” or crop circles. Graffiti on public property is common in inner cities, often used by gangs as territorial markers. More serious vandalism can happen during riots, involving the destruction of public and private property. While often considered a minor crime, it becomes severe when done extensively, violently, or as an expression of hatred and intimidation.

Examples include salting lawns, cutting trees without permission, egg throwing, breaking windows, arson, spray-painting property, tagging, gluing locks, slashing tires, keying paint, ransacking a property, flooding a house by clogging a sink, and pulling up plants by the roots.

In politics, supporters of opposing candidates may deface posters, bumper stickers, and billboards. Though the materials are temporary, the effect can be lasting, reflecting on both the candidate targeted and the candidate whose supporters are doing the vandalism. Activists may also destroy property as protest—smashing windows of banks, shops, and government buildings, or setting cars on fire. This often occurs during riots but can happen alone, such as animal rights activists destroying property of farmers, hunters, biotech companies, and research facilities, and freeing animals. Opponents sometimes call this eco-terrorism. Vandalism is also a common tactic of black blocs.

Motives include anger, envy, spontaneous opportunism, peer acceptance, bravado in gang cultures, or disgruntlement with a person or society. Other motives are attention-seeking and personal gain. Opportunistic vandalism may be filmed, similar to happy slapping. In some inner cities, gang graffiti is so common it becomes almost accepted, sometimes left untouched because it may be immediately redone. Greed, political ideologies, a desire to draw attention to problems, frustration, and even playfulness can also drive vandalism. Young people, the most common vandals, often experience low status and boredom. Vandalism allows powerless individuals to attack those above them, take control, and frighten others. Unpunished vandalism can provide relief that reinforces the behavior.