Concerns have been raised by the appearance of red paint writings saying “brothel” on the front facades of houses in many cities across England, London being a primary example. The source and reason for these incidents are unknown, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

This week, the mysterious red paintings appearing on the front facades of houses in Walthamstow, northeast London, sparked debates. Not only in Walthamstow, but also in Huddersfield, Bradford, Reading, and other neighborhoods in London, incidents have occurred where red paint splattered on the front doors of houses was accompanied by the word “brothel” and some numbers written. These incidents have triggered extensive discussions among neighborhood residents and on social media. Local residents have put forth various theories ranging from gang-related activities to allegations linked to the Gaza conflict. A couple living on Cazenove Road in Walthamstow stated that their house was splattered with red paint and they received a letter, but found no evidence. The couple said, “It’s really very distressing. We also don’t know why our house was painted.”

POLICE INITIATE INVESTIGATION Police have launched an investigation to determine whether these incidents are connected to similar incidents locally or in locations outside London. However, no arrests have been made so far. Stella Creasy, Member of Parliament for Walthamstow, expressed deep concern over the lack of central coordination in investigating these incidents unfolding across the country. Similar incidents have occurred in different cities such as Reading, Bradford, and Huddersfield. In Reading, a building’s side facade was painted with red and black paint saying “brothel,” while in Bradford, attacks on apartment blocks were accompanied by “brothel” writings on walls. In Huddersfield, the phrase “brothel 3” was sprayed onto a building wall. Local residents are fearful of these incidents occurring in their neighborhoods and wonder about the underlying reasons and who the culprits might be.