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Domestic Taggers Responsible For Most Subway Graffiti
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 12, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 12, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Yesterday, the Daily News cover story proclaimed that 70% subway car graffiti lay-ups are created by foreigners. Au contraire, says James Hall, the NYPD's head of the transit bureau.
According to Metro, Hall said, "We’ve arrested some foreign nationals, but when you really look at who we’ve apprehended this year for repeat layup hits, they were born and raised here in New York." Thirty-one people were arrested, and only four were foreigners. Maybe the foreigners are just much quicker and better at not being caught?
“Seventy percent’s a high number,” Hall said. “There’s no question, I think, that there’s some merit that you have foreign nationals coming to New York City to do graffiti to trains.” But he still considered graffiti to be a crime largely carried out by locals. “Our most prolific taggers this year are all homegrown New Yorkers,” he said. “I don’t think it’s wise to just put all your eggs in the European basket.”
The MTA is now thinking about increasing security spending to prevent graffiti. The NY Sun reports there have been "53 lay-ups have been reported in Queens, 39 in Manhattan, 18 in the Bronx, and another 18 in Brooklyn" - with the 7 and N lines getting hit most often.
Image from the Streets Are Saying Things
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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