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139 Illegal Graffiti Removed in January 2026 in the Canton of Basel-Stadt
Published: February 1, 2026 · Period: 2026-01-01 – 2026-01-31In January 2026, Basel-Stadt recorded 139 graffiti removals, which is considered a low number compared to the average monthly removals of 144.1 since November 2023.
Illegal graffiti, often seen as vandalism, involves unauthorized markings on public or private property and can lead to fines or other penalties. The distinction between illegal graffiti and legal street art lies in the property owner's consent. In Basel-Stadt, unwanted graffiti is swiftly removed to prevent further defacement, while the canton supports street art by providing designated spaces for murals and encouraging artistic expression in appropriate areas.
In January 2026, a total of 139 graffiti removals were recorded in the Canton of Basel-Stadt. This includes 83 removals from public facilities (SprayEx) and 56 from private buildings (SprayOut). Compared to the average monthly graffiti removals of 144.1 recorded since November 2023, this number is considered to be very high.
The top five communities with the highest number of graffiti removals were Altstadt Kleinbasel (30), Matthäus (15), Am Ring (12), Wettstein (11), and Vorstädte (10). Conversely, the communities with the least removals were Kleinhüningen (1), Clara (1), Rosental (2), Breite (2), and Gundeldingen (3).
The time series of graffiti removals shows a notable increase in removals after October 2023, which coincides with the start of reporting graffiti removals on private buildings (SprayOut). This change in reporting likely contributed to the observed rise in the number of removals, reflecting a more comprehensive approach to tackling graffiti across both public and private properties.
The Canton of Basel-Stadt is committed to maintaining cleanliness in public spaces. Illegal graffiti on public infrastructure is typically removed within 48 hours of being reported, which helps deter further vandalism. Residents can report graffiti through a cleanliness hotline or an online form. The canton also supports private property owners by covering a substantial portion of graffiti removal costs. Additionally, Basel promotes legal street art by offering advisory services, supporting property owners in commissioning murals, designating walls for legal painting, and encouraging high-quality street art to beautify the city and reduce vandalism.
Figure 1: Time Series of Graffiti Removals
Additional resources: Legal Street-Art
🤖 This text was generated with the assistance of AI. All quantitative statements are derived directly from the dataset listed under Data Source.