After two youths in Manchester were recently busted for graffiti and sentenced to 12 and 15 month sentences, there has been a strong outcry from the community rallying support for the boys. With their sentence comparable to that of violent criminals, the criminality of street art has been put to question. A petition has even been circulated demanding a reduced sentence for the two youths, and in an article on the Guardian’s blog, the author poses an interesting question: When Banksy sells for six figures, should an 18 year old be sentenced to a year in prison for the same ‘crime’?
Changing Receptions Toward Graffiti?
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September 21, 2007
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Hi Jeff
I read this. Quite a heated debate!
I’m normally a big defender of graf, in the right cotext. I see beautiful stuff in dingy corners everywhere from Williamsburg to Byker.
I even like tags IF the penmanship is up to par.
However, these two had caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage by painting a whole train. The old train had just been lovingly restored by a dedicated team of volunteers. It was vandalism plain and simple and they should be punished.
However, giving them a jail sentence that is longer than some rapists have received (cited and linked in the same article) is ridiculous.
The punishment should fit the crime. I’d make them paint all the train stations while wearing those dorky green local authority uniforms.
September 24th, 2007 at 9:47 am