As the frequency of graffiti tagging continues to rise, so too do the costs for cleaning it up.  In a creative attempt to force the graffiti taggers to shoulder a greater percentage of the financial burden, both to cover real abatement costs and to discourage future graffiti tagging, in San Francisco, the City Attorney is filed a civil law suit against a graffiti taggers to cover the costs of cleaning up her graffiti tags.  The complaint lists 58 tags and assigns the remediation cost at $53,788 or $927.38 per graffiti tag.

In this case, most of the property owners will be city or transit agencies.  

City graffiti abatement staff photograph graffiti tags prior to removing them using the city's 311 app so that a database of graffiti tags can be accumulated.

The Sunrise Trailhead in Clark County, Nevada was designed to showcase the beauty of the natural landscape of Las Vegas away from the Strip.  Intended for picnickers, hikers, and horseback riders, the site is now closed due to a significant spike in vandalism.  Graffiti, broken glass, arson of park property, and even the burning of a car have resulted in over $22k of clean up since Spring 2014.

Chicago, Illinois:  Outside of Chicago, Highland Police are searching for a suspect in his late teens for multiple graffiti attacks at the local high school and public park.  

Surveillance footage is helping to identify the suspect.  The graffiti celebrated serial killer Ted Bundy.

The school custodian was able to quickly remove the graffiti.  This rapid response denied the opportunity to anyone to see the graffiti and is considered a best practice in graffiti abatement.

San Antonio, Texas:  A reward of $11,500 has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the graffiti vandals who attacked the Rodfei Sholom Synagogue.  Rodfei Sholom Synagogue is the second largest synagogue in San Antonio.  

The spray paint graffiti attack resulted in anti-semitic and racist graffiti on the synagogue and over 30 cars.  The graffiti included swastikas and Ku Klux Klan references.  A rock smashed one car's window.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott condemned the vandalsim, calling it an “offensive and disturbing attack on people of all faiths.”

London, England:  For the second time in a month, anti-Semitic graffiti appeared on a Jewish Girls School in London.  

The graffiti included a Nazi swastika and the words "Yids Sh*t".  The earlier graffiti attack included the words "Yids Out"

Nashville, Tennessee:  The phrase "Save a Life, Kill a Cop" appeared spray painted on the side of a trailer.

When does Street Art cross over the line between shock art and a call to violence?

Salt Lake City, Utah:  Felony and misdeameanor charges have been filed against five graffiti taggers in Salt Lake City, aged 20 to 23.  These taggers have cost the city thousands of dollars in graffiti abatement costs.  Some large scale roof graffiti cost and graffiti on historic buildings exceeded $25k. 

A determined effort by the police department and gang unit lead to the arrest of the taggers.  Many others are being pursued.  In the meantime, the arrests and charges should make taggers think twice before tagging again.

Graffiti Taggers Beware.  The Fredericksburg Police Department is fed up with the significant increase in graffiti tagging in the community and has issues a $500 Reward for tips that lead to the arrest of a graffiti tagger.  In 2014, there were 16 graffiti tags reported.  In 2015, there have already been 55 reported cases of graffiti. 

The reward give the taggers pause before they go out tagging in the future, but the recent arrest of a local graffiti tagger will have much more impact to deter them from creating more graffiti.  This multi-pronged response to eliminate and reduce graffiti is a best practice and should lead to a reduction in the frequency of graffiti tagging.

In Tinley Park, IL, a graffiti spree included the spray painting of several swastikas and "White Power" on homes, fences and cars.  Additionally, a black X was spray painted onto an American flag.

In Pascagoula, MS, a Mississippi state flag was burned next to the spray painted words "Blacks Rule" on the driveway of an 85 year old Korean War disabled veteran. 

In Eden, NC, a business owner found a noose tied to his fence and the words :We are here! KKK" spray painted onto an RV. 

In Vass, NC, an investigation is underway to identify the source of the highly charged racist graffiti words "F*** N****** KKK" that appeared on three concrete bridges over Highway 1. 

There is a lot of talk of having an open dialog about race, but this is not what was envisioned.

A traditional rivalry between two high schools in Ogden, Utah in the lead up to the big football game resulted in graffiti vandalism.  Defacing a rival school building is one thing, but the swastikas are another. 

Did this push the rivalry and pranks too far?  Did both school administrations issue statements condemning the graffiti attack?  Did the second school make an offer to help cover some of the costs of graffiti removal?

Nope. The second school district suggested that people should not blame their students, because the graffiti attack was possibly done by "some provokers".  At least we know that the school is doing a good job teaching their students their values...