Mystery as homes and businesses across UK targeted with red paint, as balaclava-clad thugs seen spraying graffiti
23 April 2025, 07:31
Homes across the UK have been hit with red graffiti that often bears a similar intimidating message.
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Properties as far apart as London, Liverpool, Bradford, Huddersfield and Reading and several other towns and cities have all been hit by the graffiti.
Often the messages painted on the side of buildings include the word 'brothel' - including in Walthamstow, north-east London, where local MP Stella Creasy has appealed for more help from the police.
CCTV has been unearthed for one of the London incidents that shows balaclava-wearing culprits spraying the sides of buildings.
The motive behind the graffiti incidents has not been completely cleared up, but expert onlookers believe they have a good idea - because of the use of red paint, in particular.
David McKelvey, a private investigator and former Metropolitan Police detective, said the colour was "a known mark of Chinese gangs."
He told the Telegraph: "What they historically have done is paint opponents’ premises red.”
Mr McKelvey said the graffiti, although illegal, unpleasant and unsightly, would only escalate into serious violence if the groups could not work out their dispute through other means.
He said: "These are quite clever, organised gangs, they typically sit down and negotiate and work their way through it. It’s in no one’s interests to get involved in outright gang warfare."
Oliver Chan, a criminology professor at the University of Birmingham, said: "Traditionally the use of red colour symbolises anger and impulsion.
"It can serve two primary purposes – to intimidate rival gangs who seem to operate in their territory or turf… and to threaten debtors who are unable to pay up."
Police have said that no arrests have been made in relation to the gangs.
Although Chinese gangs have been linked to incidents of serious violence in the UK as recently as 2012, the organised crime groups operating in this country are usually below the police radar, according to Mr McKelvey.
"They’re not selling Class A drugs, there’s not been much violence, they don’t run around with guns, it’s economic-based – it’s tobacco smuggling, human trafficking, cannabis factories and more recently they’ve moved into fentanyl.
"It’s bumbled along without too much focus."
One man, whose property in Reading was targeted, claimed the attacks were linked to prostitution.
Frank Lia told the Reading Chronicle: "My contacts made it clear that it is Chinese gangs controlling the market for prostitution. Young Chinese girls come to the UK on student or travel visas to work as prostitutes."
He added: "I have spoken to someone who had his AirBnB paint bombed after it was rented to a Chinese girl.
"Of course it is easy for rival gangs to find the locations because they need to advertise their services."
