New graffiti has once again appeared on the concrete wall along the Danube River in Passau's Ilzstadt district after security gates were left open during the All Saints' Day holiday period. The unauthorized artwork has reignited debates about the effectiveness of expensive barrier installations designed to prevent vandalism.

The concrete walls facing the Danube have repeatedly become canvases for illegal graffiti over the years. In response to the recurring problem, the State Building Authority invested 10,000 euros to fence off the affected wall sections with security barriers and gates. However, the gates remained open throughout the All Saints' Day holiday weekend, allowing unrestricted access to the area.

The expensive fencing measures have drawn significant criticism from local residents and community members who argue that such barriers are ineffective at deterring spray painters. Critics contend that the fences primarily restrict law-abiding citizens who simply want to enjoy the scenic views toward the town's peninsula, rather than actually preventing vandalism. The latest graffiti incident appears to validate these concerns about the barriers' limited effectiveness.

Fabian Edenharder, a member of the local art association AGON e.V., has expressed bewilderment at the logic behind the barrier installations. He advocates for increased dialogue between local authorities and the arts community to develop more creative solutions to the graffiti problem. Edenharder believes that collaborative artistic approaches could be more effective than purely restrictive measures.

As an alternative solution, Edenharder suggests that the community could agree on a specific artistic motif that would appeal to the majority of residents, such as a representation of Passau's skyline featuring the city's most important buildings. He also envisions the possibility of organizing annual art projects where new artwork would be created each year on the walls. Edenharder is confident that illegal spray painters would respect such legitimate artistic works and refrain from vandalizing them, potentially solving the ongoing graffiti problem through positive community engagement rather than costly barriers.