British Transport Police miss the point

This BBC article is currently kicking around in the 'Most Read' section of the website. I, for one, fully support these little acts of resistance: they're witty, non-violent and hopefully make people think. All the things low-level subversion should be.

They are also marrying my two somewhat-contradictory thoughts on the Tube: Love public transport, can't stand TfL and how they manage the Tube. They're like any good parody: they mock their subject matter while making their affections for it clear.

Take the following examples:

 

"No eye contact. Penalty £200."
"We apologise for any incontinence caused during these engineering works."
"Peak hours may necessitate you let other people sit on your lap."

But, as always, the plod miss the point. And the fun:

BTP said graffiti was "unwanted vandalism that causes criminal damage" and "will not be tolerated".
"It is a blight on our society and becomes an eyesore for many residents who overlook the railway," a BTP spokesman added.

Wait, what? Putting stickers inside tube carriages and tube stations "becomes an eyesore for many residents who overlook the railway". It's almost like there is another kind of graffiti which basically everyone agrees should stop: spray paint on buildings by railways. If the police pretend all graffiti is the specific kind of graffiti it's easy to oppose then, why, they don't need to think about criminality with any kind of nuance or critical thinking at all.

Graffiti: bad. Always. Even if it's not an eyesore for anyone who overlooks a railway.