World Famous Artist REVOK Arrested As Sheriff Strikes Back
UPDATE: REVOK was sentenced to 180 days in jail for probation violations stemming from past graffiti-related arrests.
The Art in the Streets exhibit at publicly funded museum MOCA has lines stretching for city blocks and the approval of the media worldwide. Thousands of kids have already been to the museum and been inspired by the art they see, something that would normally be considered a good thing. Today Los Angeles’ art community got a message that not everyone sees it that way.
Using high profile tactics usually reserved for international criminals accused of smuggling drugs or murder-for-hire, the artist REVOK was arrested by sheriff’s deputies Thursday morning as he prepared to board a plane to Ireland at Los Angeles International Airport.
The arrest is nothing new for REVOK or for other graffiti artists, but the timing and tactics used are clearly designed as a counter blow to the Art in the Streets exhibit which prominently features REVOK’s art.
“We take graffiti vandalism very seriously, said Lieutenant Vince Carter, Sheriff’s Metro Transit Services Bureau. “Criminal graffiti vandals who insist on damaging other people’s property are going to jail and need to pay to fix the damage they caused.” The MTSB offers a “Most Wanted Taggers” section that does not mention REVOK, further evidence that this arrest is all about publicity.
The bail for REVOK, who is widely considered one of the world’s best graffiti artists, is an insane $320,000. Let’s compare that to some recent cases in the system:
Child Molestor: $150,000
Leaving a Baby in a 115 degree car: $100,000
Ripping off an Entire City: $100,000
Pam Taylor wrote:
….meanwhile multiple unsolved rapes, missing children, murders and DUI homicides are waiting to be solved while police “conducting a wide investigation into Revok”.
is this really the best use of police time & taxpayer money?
btw- this paticular artist WAS working (free of charge) on a (legal) anti DUI homicide tribute for my child– whose killers of course are not in jail like this artist is.
*facepalm*
Posted on 25-Apr-11 at 8:49 pm | Permalink
DesertDog wrote:
He ain’t no Banksy.
Posted on 26-Apr-11 at 4:49 pm | Permalink
1xRUN Blog - #FREEREVOK wrote:
[...] “Revok, one of Los Angeles’ best known graffiti writers, was arrested as he prepared to board a plane to Ireland at Los Angeles International Airport, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported. Jason Williams, a.k.a. Revok, was taken into custody Thursday for an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to pay restitution, according to sheriff’s Capt. Mike Parker”… Read more @LATaco.com [...]
Posted on 26-Apr-11 at 7:06 pm | Permalink
Frens wrote:
Graffiti is illegal but he still got fucked. We need a better system.
Posted on 26-Apr-11 at 8:49 pm | Permalink
Eric Nord wrote:
On one hand… you live by the can and go to jail by the can.
Of course, on the other hand this does seem politically motivated. LAPD really feels like the art world is thumbing its nose at “law and order”. But what the cops don’t get… IS THAT WE DON’T GIVE A FUCK WHAT THEY THINK!!!!!
Posted on 26-Apr-11 at 11:05 pm | Permalink
Eric Nord wrote:
With regard to the bail amount, my guess is that repeat offenders and parole violators get much high bail amounts. I’m not saying graf should be a crime… I don’t think it should. But bail is set by a judge and is based on multiple factors, including the severity of the crime and criminal history. And obviously a parole violator is going to be looked at very differently from a guy who has no criminal history and could theoretically be innocent.
Posted on 27-Apr-11 at 11:32 am | Permalink
Eric Nord wrote:
er, sorry… probation violations.
Posted on 27-Apr-11 at 11:33 am | Permalink
tom wrote:
its one thing to just catch him and its another to spend a shit load of money to just make an example of him
FREE REVOK
http://toobbox.com/playlist/revok
Posted on 08-May-11 at 7:52 pm | Permalink
Liduvina wrote:
I agree that this sounds way over the top. But when people spray over murals or bill boards it’s pretty messed up. Like our LA murals, the ones we had on the freeway (of the LA marathon) have been tagged up pretty bad. People look up to this guy. His art is amazing. But others try to mimic and it looks horrible. And these mimickers make our city look like pure slums. Our city is already screwed as it is. Debt, and budget cuts, now you know they will want to clean up all this stuff…..
Better to waste money painting over art like Revoks and taking away money from LAUSD, CSU’s, and UC’s, right. *sarcasm* -___-.
Posted on 20-May-11 at 11:51 am | Permalink
NOAH BANKS ~ “FREE REVOK” : You Knew Blog wrote:
[...] I also highly recommend that you find out more about the FREE REVOK story on LA TACO [...]
Posted on 12-Jun-11 at 1:20 pm | Permalink