Courts Prohibit São Paulo City Hall from Removing Graffiti without Authorization from Council

02/15/2017 - 10h58

São Paulo courts determined that the administration of João Doria (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party) is prohibited from removing graffiti from walls throughout the city with consulting beforehand with Conpresp (Municipal Patrimony Council).

Doria has singled out vandalistic graffiti as the enemy of the city and ordered that graffiti on the May 23 Avenue be removed, where there is a street mural that extend for 5,4 kilometers.

If City Hall fails to comply with the ruling, the Courts will apply a fine of R$ 500,000 (US$ 160,000) per day, on top of other sanctions.

The decision is in response to a mass citizen movement. Those soliciting state that the mayor's office is covering over graffiti in public spaces with gray paint "without any apparent technical criteria" and due to this has "caused irreparable damage to culture and landscapes".

In his decision, Judge Adriano Marcos Laroca said that "graffiti, like urban art expresses a social reality, and is certainly characterized as a cultural asset that deserves to be preserved and encouraged by the Public Municipal Authority".

City Hall declared that it will appeal the injunction (a provisory decision) as soon as it is officially notified of it.

A bill approved by São Paulo's municipal legislature toughens the punishment for vandalistic graffiti - with fines as high as R$ 10,000 (US$ 3,200) - the text has been sent for Doria's approval. Opinion research conducted by Datafolha found that graffiti in São Paulo is approved of by 85% of city residents.

	Juliana Gragnani/Folhapress
	May 23 Avenue, where there is a street mural that extend for 5,4 kilometers

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

Read the article in the original language