The artist behind the ubiquitous 2008 Obama 'Hope' poster has found himself the subject of an arrest warrant. Detroit police say Shepard Fairey had "tagged" some buildings around the city with graffiti.
Police say Fairey would be arrested if he returns to Detroit and doesn't turn himself into authorities.
A warrant for his arrest was filed in 36th District Court on Friday. He faces two counts of malicious destruction of property, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail, plus fines that could exceed $10,000.
"Just because he is a well-known artist does not take away the fact that he is also a vandal," said Detroit Police Sgt. Rebecca McKay, who oversees the city's graffiti task force. "And that's what we consider was done, in these instances, was vandalism."
Fairey told the Free Press that he intended on vandalizing buildings when he came to town to paid a mural. "He arrived in May to paint the 18-story mural on One Campus Martius for Dan Gilbert's Bedrock Real Estate Services and others, but before the work began, he said he would be doing more."
"I still do stuff on the street without permission. I'll be doing stuff on the street when I'm in Detroit," Fairey said last month.
And it seem Fairey was busy during his Detroit visit.
Police say the between May 16 and 22, Fairey pasted nine posters with his own iconic symbols like Andre the Giant and other images. The various posters are roughly square in size, and measured four or so feet in height and width.
The total amount of damages that police say he has caused: $9,105.54.
Police also suspect that Fairey tagged several more properties -- up to 14 in total -- but only nine of the locations had owners who were reachable and interested in pressing charges, McKay said.
This is not the first time Fairey has gotten in trouble with the law. He has been arrested 15 times for defacing public property. Fairey's spokesman said he was currently out of the country traveling. http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/arrest-warrant-issued-creator-obama...
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