The NYPD Can't Catch Banksy! (but they did catch BanksyNY's balloon)

This is rich. The NYPD decided to confiscate Banksy's Balloon Graffiti Throw Up. Guess the NYPD can't catch Banksy, but they did catch his balloon!

All humor aside, this could be more devious than cops merely confiscating illegal art. America's police departments have been known to seize money or other quetionably illegal stuff, and then the person they took it from must prove that it is not illegal. Its an unfair practice abused by many police departments to try and garner more money for themselves. So, its kinda like the NYPD 'stole' Banksy's piece. Lets see if the police cash in, or if the balloon gets 'returned' to the building owner.

Or perhaps the NYPD just wants the Balloon for fingerprints. (Yikes!)

Also, the dudes who tried to steal the balloons ended up getting arrested. M&F is not condoning what they did, but out of everyone who claimed a Banksy this month, these dudes seemed to do it the right way risking life and limb to grab a 'public' piece with no clear owner. Survival of the streetest? And now they are getting arrested? Something smells sour about this situation.

All in all, Banksy couldn't have scripted a better ending. This is not using art as decoration. This is 'making' art in real life. This is why he came to New York. Like Banksy said, "Nobody comes to New York to bathe in your well mannered common sense. We're here for your spirit and audacity."

Indeed. Stay up, New York~

NYPD Wants Banksy! -- ***UPDATE - Banksy Responds***

The New York Post just released an article featuring an interview with NYC's Mayor Bloomberg. Bloomberg says that the NYPD cops are going after Banksy with every tool they can.

Check out the article below

This clown is wanted.

The NYPD’s vandal squad is on the hunt for the notoriously elusive graffiti artist Banksy, who has racked up 16 installments across the city — most of them spray-painted on walls — in what he promises will be a monthlong New York “residency.”

Police sources said Wednesday that cops are scrutinizing all the surveillance videos they can find from areas where the guerrilla artist has left his famous wall-art stencils so far during his two-week-plus spree.

“They want to question him in connection with the vandalism,” one law-enforcement source said.

“If they catch him, he will be charged with vandalism.”

Mayor Bloomberg on Wednesday echoed that sentiment, calling Banksy a vandal, not an artist.

***UPDATE: Banksy responded to this article this morning with a quote saying "I don't read what I believe in the papers."***

Uh, Mr. Policeman, Its Clear You've Got the Wrong Man

Recently, a photo of a graffiti tagger tagging a cop car started making national news.  It was big news because a teen named Luis Rodriguez reportedly outed himself by liking an action photo of himself on Facebook.

The story is this--After the Huntington Beach Riots, the Huntington Beach Police Department posted some photos of the alleged culprits on their own Facebook page.  Then, a friend of Luis Rodriguez tagged him and liked the photo.  Luis Rodriguez was subsequently arrested by the HBPD.

The mainstream media is reporting the story as an example of how foolish supposed criminals can be with social media.  True.

However, the thing is, it is obvious that the police arrested the wrong dude.  The guy tagging the cars is clearly a different guy that is shown in the other photos.  The guy tagging the cars is wearing a red hat with a white emblem over the back side of the cap--the pictures of Luis Rodriguez show him wearing a different red hat with no white emblem.  Furthermore, the dude tagging the cars has a clear 5 o'clock shadow where his facial hair stretches down from his sideburns.  The clean shaven Luis Rodriguez does not have any hair stubble growth on his face.  Perhaps Luis got into other mischief during the Huntington Beach Riots, but if the police are saying that they caught the dude who tagged the cop cars, well, then you've definitely caught the wrong dude.

On a different but related note, even though M&F has reportedly warned the street art community about the dangers and perils of loose behavior on social media, it hasn't seemed to discourage most folks from being completely open about 'vandalism'.  But this story should serve as a stark reminder.  Listen, M&F isn't telling you to do anything illegal, but, if you're going to be doing something that might be, be smart.  Don't incriminate yourself over social media.  And remember this street artists--Facebook is not a 'safe zone'!  The Huntington Beach Police Department has a page for God's sake!

Stay up, and stay smart!

(Check out the pics below to see how it is clear that Luiz Rodriguez is not the cop car tagger!)

With Their Handcuffs - They Try to Shut Us Up

A new piece from Bandit featuring a shackled angel with wings.

The angel is wearing handcuffs, which are opportune in correlation to Bandit's getting chased by the police after putting this piece up in downtown Los Angeles.

Cops Aren't People

Most of the street art we peeped in Carlsbad was good natured.

This is the edgiest piece we saw, so edgy that  it is downright mean.

Its a modified postal sticker saying 'Cops Aren't People'.

Just Fuck Cops

Just Fuck Cops.

Hand tagged sticker spotted in the Viper Room bathroom.

Riding with one of LA's top local rock bands, Lady Sinatra.  Also with Generation Graveyard, Dripback and more.

THEFL- Action Shots and Chased By the Cops!

Cops Make Arrest for Flowers on Valentine's Day