An anonymous graffiti tagger has written city-wide chalk messages over several years to protest the loud bangs that fill celebrations and startle the vulnerable.
Sheffield councillor, Rob Bannister, said: “I have seen it around town, and as the methods being used to spread the message aren’t permanent, I do not think we classify it as graffiti.
“I personally feel if people want to protest using means that do not threaten or damage the city, they should. It used to be one night of the year, and we were always told to keep pets inside. Now that it’s spread, that advice is redundant.”
On a case-by-case basis repeated temporary chalk marks could be treated as anti-social behaviour under government legislation.
According to the British Pyrotechnics Association (BPA), 10 million people annually purchased and used fireworks.
A University of Sheffield PhD student, Gwilym Evans, had noticed ominous markings popping up around Guy Fawkes Night in Sheffield over several years.
The PhD student theorised the graffiti tagger was male and the misspelled messages showed a “traumatised” person.
He said: “It is clearly just someone trying to get a message out there about something which irks them.
“Potentially they are a former soldier themselves who is traumatised because their messaging is always about fireworks and traumatised old soldiers killing injured birds.”
Research from Help for Heroes and Combat Stress suggested 74% of veterans want firework times restricted.
It is currently against the law to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am unless it’s a holiday like Bonfire Night, which stops the sale until midnight.
The government is currently considering tougher firework restrictions under the Labour ‘Safer Streets’ policy to reduce anti-social behaviour and set a noise limit on pyrotechnics.
Members of the Ban Fireworks for Public Sale Facebook group urged for stronger government restrictions to be enforced to protect the vulnerable.
One Facebook user said you must talk to people to know how they are affected by fireworks personally.
They said: “If you talk to farmers they’ll tell you that birds, who normally roost in trees, will move to the ground whenever there are fireworks, as they sense danger.”
The user added that fireworks triggered a PTSD episode in his veteran neighbour who mistook the loud bangs for bombs.
The unreported mysterious graffiti tagger reflects the local history of Sheffield similar to Pete McKee who depicts social commentary on the walls of the city.
Residents muse over what motivates the anonymous person, and if “he” will ever reveal his identity.
Gwilym said: “I just want to know who this person is so I can either buy them a pint or just tell them I agree with their message.”
