Backed by Marc Ecko seven graffiti artists are suing New York City over a law that makes it illegal for people under the age of 21 to possess broad-tipped markers or spray paint. The new law was just enacted in New York City the beginning of this year. Mark Ecko, owner of Ecko clothing line and himself a graffiti artist stated recently, "An 18 year old can buy cigarettes, vote, and go into the army but he can't buy a can of spray paint in Manhattan. It's silly." Under this new law Anyone under 21 years of age believed to have a broad-tipped marker or spray paint can in there possesion can be prosecuted. Also anyone found selling either of these items to anyone under 21 can also be fined.
Gabriel Taussig, a lawyer for New York City, says that the law "strikes a proper constitutional balance between the First Amendment rights and the need to control the long-standing plague of graffiti". During the 70's & 80's graffiti was a long standing problem in the streets of New York City until Anti-Graffiti Vandal Squads were set up to lessen the effects of graffiti on the streets of New York City. It didn't seem to be a major problem until Ecko held a block party last year for his video game Getting Up. During the legally held block party Ecko set up several fake subway cars and allowed partiers to Tag them with graffiti. Shortly after New York City Councilman Peter Vallone became the main proponent in creating this law to lessen graffiti on the streets of New York City.
The lawsuit is against Mayor Bloomberg and New York City Councilman Peter Vallone. The lawsuit states that both Bloomberg and Vallone have "waged a personal war against graffiti art and graffiti artists, fuelled by their personal, subjective distaste for the art form". So is graffiti an art or a crime?
