By Mister Retrops
Cans of spray paint might be hard to find in Seattle in the coming days, as U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman just ruled that Seattle’s graffiti laws were too vague and could limit free speech.
The ruling effectively legalized any and every sort of graffiti, anywhere and for any and every reason, as prosecutors can no longer bring charges against the defacement of private property.
The Seattle City Attorney will NOT be prosecuting anyone arrested for graffiti—at least for now—after US District Judge Marsha Pechman issued an injunction.
The judge says Seattle’s property destruction ordinance is vague, targets speech and “poses a real threat of censorship.”
— Gary Horcher (@GaryKIRO7) June 14, 2023
Here’s the law in question:
A person is guilty of property destruction if he or she:
- Intentionally damages the property of another; or
- Writes, paints, or draws any inscription, figure, or mark of any type on any public or private building or other structure or any real or personal property owned by any other person.
The law does later clarify that an owner can give permission for such activity, but now, no permission is necessary…
