Police are saying they recognize the graffiti vandals left on the Milwaukee Art Museum's Calatrava addition and these vandals have struck before, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Art Museum is estimating $3000 to clean up the damage which puts it over the $2500 minimum necessary to charge the vandals with a felony punishable by up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Milwaukee Art Museum is itself a piece of art that needs to be cherished and protected by the whole community. We would be outraged if the vandals had broken into the museum and spray painted a statue or a painting. So too should we be outraged when the building itself is attacked.
When these vandals are caught, an example needs to be made of them. Graffiti tends to attract more graffiti. By prosecuting and punishing these vandals to the full extent we can hope to deter vandals from striking the Art Museum again.
