Anger as vandals hit Birmingham Cathedral
VANDALS defaced Birmingham cathedral in a broad daylight attack while worshippers were inside.
They struck at St Philip’s in Colmore Row happened at about 3.30pm on Sunday as worshippers gathered for a Racial Justice Sunday Celebration.
One indecent word and garbled graffiti was daubed in pink and white chalk across a 25ft-long section on one wall and on the path at the rear of the building.
Cathedral Dean Bob Wilkes said: “It’s a real shame.
“This is our space and it’s a lovely space for people in the city and we want it to be welcoming.
“As usual a few folk do something silly but we are left with it.
“It’s an ongoing thing in this square.
“It’s hard stone to clean and is a listed building so let’s hope it comes off quite quickly.”
Scores of shoppers and workers were annoyed when they saw the mess.
Yasmin Akhtar, a legal secretary from Sparkhill, said: “I think it’s disgusting really – it’s sick.
“It’s the young generation, they have no respect for anything.
“It’s a cathedral it’s not like it’s any old building.”
Paul King, an engineer from Halesowen, said: “It’s not very nice.
“It must have been bored teenagers.”
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said the graffiti would be cleared within the next 48 hours.
The Racial Justice Sunday was organised by the Council of Black-led Churches and Birmingham Chruches Together.
Rev Canon Eve Pitts, one of the first black women to be ordained in the Church of England, led the service.
She said: “This was not only a service for black people but for black and white people to worship together.”
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