UPON THE CITADEL
From the Journal
Hard times for graffiti artists in Milan: the City Council has decided on a crackdown against so-called "writers" - the kids armed with spray cans filled writings and drawings of the building walls - establishing a task force of 15 fighters that patrol the city every day hunting for the vandals. In addition, through the justices of the peace for several months is pursuing an investigation aimed at identifying the authors of the graffiti with their work. The special unit of the brigade has been active since last July and has so far taken seven graffiti artists in the act: according to an estimate of the municipality, each of them can be traced back 300 walls defaced. "The word is repression - said Deputy Mayor Riccardo De Corato, who spoke at the conference "Do not write on the walls" sponsored by the Anti-graffiti -. The penalties should be strengthened: the law must be reformed, including also the jail if necessary. " The crime of contamination, governed by Article 639 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine ranging from 258 to 2582 € and house arrest for 6 to 30 days. Since 2002, however, several senators from the center, including the De Corato and the president of Antigraffiti Vittorio Pessina, have advanced proposals to reform key part in repression. The last of July 2006, offers up to one year imprisonment, fines of up to € 2500 and an ex officio prosecution against graffiti surprised: "Graffiti is a real injustice to the citizens - said the senator Joseph Valditara one of the signatories of the proposal -. The state must intervene, otherwise legitimate bullying. "On such drastic measures as the prison is not all agree:" The sentence seems excessive when one considers that often the "writers" are minors - argued the deputy prosecutor Richard Targetti - . The police are not sufficient to start the arrests of this type: the more useful it would force the vandal to paint where he smeared. " The profile is that of a young graffiti artist from 12 to 25 years, middle class, higher education and residing in the city: for some items that are difficult to reconcile with the idea of \u200b\u200bcriminal jail. Next to the debate on proposals for law enforcement and alternative sentences, the discomfort: according to research conducted in October by the graffiti at the national level, 97% of people expressed discontent over the growing problem of graffiti, and 83% think the problem is increasing. And while the former commissioner and lecturer Stephen Zecchi liquid graffiti also from the aesthetic point of view - "it is vandalism. Not enough to be said for artists "- for citizens is on the telephone numbers of local police (020 202) where to report the contamination, while on www.associazionegraffiti.it you can download forms to file a lawsuit.
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