Graffiti artist Revok arrested, because cops are stupid.

A “Free Revok” campaign erupted on Twitter over the weekend after the Fairfax district street artist was nabbed at LAX. Sheriff’s officials said the man born Jason Williams was arrested at LAX last week as he attempted to head to Ireland. He had allegedly failed to pay restitution to victims whose property he had vandalized, they said. Sheriff’s Lt. Vince Carter:  “We take graffiti vandalism very seriously. Criminal graffiti vandals who insist on damaging other people’s property are going to jail and need to pay to fix the damage they cause.” (SUPER lame by the way!). 

The 34-year-old was booked at county jail and held on $320,000 bail. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!)

Ironically (or not) his own work was vandalized, sort of, when graffiti clean-up crews mistakenly began to paint over it earlier this month.

Fairfax Mural Before:

Fairfax Mural After:

They said neighbors complained about the piece that Revok, Saber Retna Os Gemos, Rime and Norm had painted with the owner’s permission on a wall of Known Gallery on Fairfax near Rosewood Avenue.

The company that made the mistake, “Graffiti Control Systems”, said it had stripped the whitewash and would pay for restoration.

Revok had received probation for a 2009 case of felony vandalism in Indio, California, home of the Coachella festival. He was also arrested last year near a street art store.

All this happens as an unprecedented showing, “Art in the Streets,” is ongoing at MOCA downtown.

So if you have a Twitter, get on there and go along with this #FreeRevok campain. Here are some of the tweets that have been coming through…

Wisker: “Bail for a Child Molestor: $150,000 Baby left in a 115 degree car: $100,000 Ripping off an Entire City: $100,000 Graffiti Artist: $320,000″

Mike2600: “Revok in jail with $320,000 bail for graffiti. BP still at large for vandalizing the Gulf of Mexico. http://bit.ly/ecJ9ER“

REBEL8: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wall that Revok painted that didn’t look better after he finished. #FreeRevok“

IamCROS1: “$320,000 bail for failure to pay restitution on a felony? Theres killers that dont have that high of bail WTF?!? #FREEREVOK“

The7thLetter: “Arresting graffiti artists is a great use of our tax dollars, while other real criminals are out selling drugs & murdering people #FreeRevok“

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