Filmmakers and AntiGraffiti Vigilantes Butt Heads Over Illegal Posters

By Caroline Chen Fri., Aug. 12 2011 at 5:30 PM

The Department of Public Works put out a call today asking the public to report sightings of illegally posted movie posters. But these are not just any movie posters -- they're posters for Vigilante Vigilante: The Freedom of Expression a documentary about antigraffiti vigilantes which will premiere tonight at Roxie Theater.

"I think it's very ironic," says director Max Good. "We're being singled out because [the movie] is about the kind of people involved in this very work."

"No, we're not specifically seeking out anyone. We're just doing our job!" responds Gloria Chan, DPW spokes person. "It's the law, this is part of making San Francisco clean!" DPW reports having to clean up more than 40 posters and stickers in the Mission, and notes that the cleanup will come at the cost of taxpayers.

The DPW has also issued a cease-and-desist order to the movie makers, but Good says that they aren't responsible for putting the posters up.

"We've given out a lot of promotional materials -- posters and stickers," says Good, "Whenever we do, we asked people not to post these these things illegally, but it's happened."

The filmmakers have already received angry messages from local antigraffiti vigilante Rick Thurber, whose moaning over "the end of civility" was featured in an SF Weekly article in 1999. Thurber e-mailed Good two weeks ago, saying "Fuck you for violating our neighborhood!"

Good says that another local vigilante, Gideon Kramer, has also threatened Roxie Theater for showing the film and not helping to halt the illegal postering. Roxie Theater declined to comment.

"We're definitely critical [of anti-graffiti vigilantes] but the documentary is all about tolerance and having a conversation," says Good. "I think a lot of people on [Kramer and Thurber's] side think they're beyond the law and they're not interested in having a conversation."

Good has invited both Kramer and Thurber to tonight's premier. He says, "I hope they show up, but I doubt they will."

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Tags:

Department of Public Works, Gideon Kramer, Gloria Chan, Max Good, Rick Thurber, Roxie Theater, Vigilante Vigilante

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Chuck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v..., this video shows doc filmmakers beating confessions out of sexual predators and film it, love it

RoiS

RoiS NGK motha fucker listen and repeat.. "i dont understand other peoples minds and if i judge them for what i think they think i will tattoo 'i dont deserve life' on my forehead for i dont truely know what that part of the public thinks"

Muffinator1313

aye look, art was never a crime, and it shouldnt be a privlage. art is free and thts why we do it.art keeps our minds in line, the lines that we create. we are the comunity not you cops. thers more of us than u. we make up the city we give it all it has and we want that to continue. fuck those who repress freedom, not constitution freedom, but true freedom; the freedom in the sense that you can do as u please kas ther isnt any rules only common sense. i write on public property kas im part of the public and i hate the color grey.graffiti is beautiful with out it this city would be like just the rest, BORRING! fuck your buff paint its grey white n beige who appreciates solid coverd anything? tell me, point em out so i can tell em their either blind or retarded. and that they shouldnt decide what i or the rest of this city is allowed to look at. every artist has something different to bring to the table and by lockin up artist u cripple this city of its future. repress your selves of freedom not me asshole!

Chokeonit

WooHoo!Looks we got us some real life anti-graffiti activists right here in the comments section, blowing things up with their righteous messages of judgment!In other news:An exhibition about graffiti and street art, featuring the work of Banksy, has attracted record numbers to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ente...

Earth to Angry Assholes: You lost.

Mooga

Thurber and Kramer and both known to be extremists. From anti war posters to lost pets etc. Why don't these two aging old men go and really help the community, feed some homeless people or work to help people in hunters point? Oh.. Wait... That might actually involve caring.

bigriggs

What is there to talk about??? Grafitti is illegal, an eyesore and costs money to clean up. I suppose this moron thinks the scum that deface property should be beyond the law.

Dres wil

Tagging is ghetto life.

____

Taggers are just like dogs that have low/poor self esteem and low standing in society so they need to go about marking their territories like dogs peeing at hyrdants.