An investigation is underway to track down the culprits who ‘shamefully’ daubed a Manchester war memorial with graffiti. Those responsible were slammed as ‘hooligans’ after graffiti was found on the war memorial at Tib Street, in the Northern Quarter, earlier this week.
It was the latest incident of the memorial, which commemorates the lives of soldiers lost in the First and Second World Wars, being vandalised. Manchester City Council confirmed the graffiti has since been cleaned up, and work is taking place to find who is responsible.
In a statement, Coun Pat Karney said: “It is unacceptable that graffiti could be used to tarnish a memorial dedicated to our war heroes. The council was immediately alerted to this crime and a clean-up team was sent out to restore the memorial within hours.
“Investigations are continuing to ensure whoever is responsible for this despicable crime is brought to justice.” The graffiti was scrawled underneath the bronze plaques which pay tribute to the workers of J & N Philips and Co Ltd, who were lost in battle during the two World Wars.
After the graffiti first appeared, Coun Karney described it as ‘shamefully disrespectful to people who died fighting for our freedom’, adding: “The council will check to see if we have any CCTV cameras to help us identify these hooligans.” The same memorial had previously attracted graffiti in 2022.
One of the commemorative plaques
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
J & N Philips and Co Ltd was a textiles and smallwares manufacturer which had its Manchester base where the Tib Street car park stands today. Founded in Staffordshire in 1747, the company saved the plaques for a permanent memorial after it closed in 1969.
Last November, Manchester City Council announced plans to knock down the car park, with an invitation for developers to submit plans for a ‘world-class’ development. Council leader Bev Craig said the site had become ‘out of step with its surroundings’ and a magnet for anti-social behaviour as the vision was revealed.