Cleveland Graffiti Laws
by Mr. Noneofyourbusiness

Know your graffiti laws because here’s the bad news. The act of doing graffiti is illegal. If you get caught, these days you are likely to go to jail...period. Fines, jail time, rap sheet, the whole nine. This shit is really risky.

Your life can be at stake completely. You could be hit by a train, drunk somewhere tagging the side of a building and someone shoots at you, the love of your life could leave you because YOU wanted to paint and she/he doesn’t understand. You really need to prioritize and figure how bad you want it.

PART SIX — OFFENSES AND BUSINESS ACTIVITIES CODE

Title I — General Offenses
Chapter 623 — Property Offenses

Yup. Been arrested a few times. Here’s a link:

Cleveland Codes

The sections most common to the writer kind here are:

• Criminal Trespass


• Aggravated Trespass


• Trespass on RTA Property


• Vandalism of Vacant Buildings and Structures


• Spray Painting Property


• Defacing and Removing Signs


• Selling or Furnishing Aerosol Containers of Paint to Minors Prohibited


• Purchase or Possession of Aerosol Containers of Paint by Minors Prohibited


• Notices or Signs on Public Property Prohibited; Removal

ALSO to see why its hard to get LIVE ass murals up go here:

Graffiti Law


PART ONE — ADMINISTRATIVE CODE Title XV — Purchases And Contracts Chapter 186 — Public Art

I know takes awhile to read but know what you’re up against. OR just go to court not knowing EXACTLY what they gave 30 – 180 days in the joint for.



ALSO I’m not a lawyer.



As far as being criminals, that’s a technicality. By law, yes, but the scale varies from writer to writer and whatever criminal acts in addition to “getting up” is strictly separate from that. I’m pretty sure no writers robbed the bank just to buy some Belton or Montana paint. Defacing property does add to the blight already but a lot is slated to be torn down or revitalized. So why the hell not hit the wall?



Furthermore on the act of vandalism, okay, but there’s rules to this. (see the tagging section) I don’t know too many “malicious” heads. I mean we’ll go slay a freight, kill a wall, nothing serious. I don’t know anyone that got up on the church bell or put a couple tags in a cemetery.



The good news is that you can get away with pulling off some ill shit. Thing is be close to who you know. Know who knows you that knows who knows you..ya dig? The other thing is that if you do get caught. You can get out of it. All cops aren’t dickheads, assholes, blue boys, and pigs. There are some cool cats out there. They human just like you are. I would say you and me but I’m part alien.



Cops want there job to be easy. Use the power of reason. Be cool. Don’t come off as a dipshit. More than likely they won’t come off as a dipshit to you. ESPECIALLY if you don’t have any priors. Just be smart. You’ll know what to do. Best thing is ..don’t get caught.



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