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# Detroit Police Issue Warrant For The Arrest Of Artist Shepard Fairey
- URL: https://www.dailydetroit.com/detroit-police-issue-warrant-for-the-arrest-of-artist-shepard-fairey/
- Published: 2015-06-24T22:29:00.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-27T19:49:13.000Z
- Author: Jer Staes
- Tags: Detroit, Shepard Fairey, Warrant, #wordpress, #Import 2024-02-25 18:12, #daily-detroit-staff

Earlier, we reported how it looked like Shepard Fairey was leaving his mark on more than just buildings Dan Gilbert owns. Now, Detroit Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of the Los Angeles-based artist.

Detroit as of late has [become a “mecca” for street artists](http://www.dailydetroit.com/2014/10/23/watch-better-call-mohammed-its-become-a-mecca-for-graffiti-in-detroit/), even to the point there’s a small tourist market for artists looking for walls to do their work on, as well as street taggers and others.

However, this may send a clear message they’re not welcome in the city. A warrant seeking to charge Shepard Fairey with malicious destruction of property over $1,000 and less than $20,000 has been drawn up. Punishment, if found guilty, is up to five years in prison and a fine three times the damage of the crime monetarily, though rarely is the maximum handed out. The total amount of damage for the nine places that are pressing charges? $9,105.54.

[![Shepard Fairey Mural on the side of the HQ of Quicken Loans](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/f5/47f528d4-7214-4519-b2b2-26249e48460d/content/images/wordpress/2015/06/IMG_4887-1024x1024.jpg)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/f5/47f528d4-7214-4519-b2b2-26249e48460d/content/images/wordpress/2015/06/IMG%5F4887.jpg?ref=dailydetroit.com)

Shepard Fairey Mural on the side of the HQ of Quicken Loans. Daily Detroit Photo.

Fairey was in town to paint a large mural on the side of a Gilbert-owned building. It was his largest mural to date, at s 184-feet-by-60-feet. Gilbert recently went after three Grosse Pointe teens for tagging some properties earlier this year. Also, Mayor Mike Duggan has a long history, [even when he was prosecutor](http://www.dailydetroit.com/2015/05/27/detroit-police-have-questions-about-shepard-fairey-tagging-detroit-buildings/), of having little tolerance for graffiti. 

> Newest Addition to the Skyline! [@obeygiant](https://twitter.com/OBEYGIANT?ref=dailydetroit.com) [#detroit](https://twitter.com/hashtag/detroit?src=hash&ref=dailydetroit.com) [#shepardfairey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/shepardfairey?src=hash&ref=dailydetroit.com) [#filmmaking](https://twitter.com/hashtag/filmmaking?src=hash&ref=dailydetroit.com) [#obey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/obey?src=hash&ref=dailydetroit.com) [@JuxtapozMag](https://twitter.com/JuxtapozMag?ref=dailydetroit.com) [@obeyclothing](https://twitter.com/obeyclothing?ref=dailydetroit.com) [pic.twitter.com/t6WlOUMEMN](http://t.co/t6WlOUMEMN?ref=dailydetroit.com)
> 
> — Stevie Soul (@mrsteviesoul) [May 21, 2015](https://twitter.com/mrsteviesoul/status/601536093650067456?ref=dailydetroit.com) 

“Just because he is a well-known artist does not take away the fact that he is also a vandal,” said Detroit Police Sgt. Rebecca McKay, who oversees the city’s graffiti task force [to the Free Press](http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2015/06/24/shepard-fairey-arrest-warrant-detroit-police/29239929/?ref=dailydetroit.com). “And that’s what we consider was done, in these instances, was vandalism.”

We wonder what you think. Should Fairey be prosecuted? Should police focus on crimes like these?