A new dramatic video is urging Qatar residents to keep the country clean by refraining from spray-painting absurd or offensive messages and images in public spaces.
This week, Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) launched an awareness drive about the “uncivilized behavior.”
On Twitter, the ministry said “Writing on walls is prohibited and against our moral and traditional values.”
#لا_تشوها
معا للحد من ظاهرة الكتابة على الجدران
أنت تشوه بلدك .. انت تشوه ذاتكhttps://t.co/UeyPHp4Gs8#بيئة_قطر #قطر #QatarEnvironment— وزارة البلدية | Ministry Of Municipality (@albaladiya) January 30, 2017
It showed a brief video of a boy spray-painting a wall, who then finds himself covered in the black paint he was using to deface property.
“You mar your country, you mar yourself,” the video warns.
Legal graffiti
Not all graffiti in Qatar is illegal.
The government appears to be discouraging residents from marking up walls and other property without permission.
This is different from sanctioned graffiti projects by artists, such as el Seed’s murals on Salwa Road and the artwork painted by students at Qatar Foundation.
Do you think graffiti is a problem in Qatar? Thoughts?
