City Plans To Protect Graffiti-Covered Murals

POSTED: 11:49 am PST November 21, 2006


LOS ANGELES -- In an effort to restore the city's graffiti-covered murals, the Los Angeles City Council Tuesday directed the Cultural Affairs Department to head up a task force aimed at combating vandalism and saving the artwork.

The council also asked the City Attorney's Office to draft an ordinance aimed at offering greater protection for more than 3,000 pieces of public art and murals in Los Angeles, 300 of which are maintained by city departments.

The Los Angeles Police Department currently offers a $1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of a vandal, but there aren't any specific city laws determining punishment for marking up a mural, according to a report from the Cultural Affairs Department.


Councilman Tom LaBonge asked the city attorney to include a provision that would require vandals to perform community service if they are convicted of destroying city artwork.

"I think we need to get community service to help us clean, restore and do anything to save these wonderful morals that are throughout the city that artists have worked very hard on," LaBonge said.

The proposed mural preservation task force will be comprised of the City Attorney's Office, LAPD, Community Development Department, Department of Building and Safety's Sign Code Division and Public Works Department's Office of Community Beautification.