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New York City Graffiti Artist ESPO Arrested on Heels of Publication of Hit Book Stephen Powers, aka ESPO, named 1999's Graffiti Bomber of the Year by the New York Press, and publisher of On the Go magazine, was arrested following the execution of a search warrant by the NYPD Tuesday, Nov. 30th. Mr. Powers has been working as an artist in New York City since 1994. This is his first NYC arrest.
Mr. Powers' first book, THE ART OF GETTING OVER, which celebrates the graffiticulture as an important form of artistic expression, was published in September.The book quickly sold out its first printing on its way to becoming a subculturehit, now with over 20,000 copies in print. Mr. Powers' attorney, Ronald L. Kuby,who has represented Spencer Tunick,among others, has issued a response to thepolice raid on Stephen Powers' apartment:"New York City's war on artists has taken a new and ominous turn yesterday, with the raid on the home of Stephen Powers. The police, in possession of a search warrant allowing them to seize all written matter making any reference to 'graffiti,' seized large numbers of paintings, paint, videotapes, books, and magazines. I have never seen a search warrant that authorized such wholesale rummaging through, and seizure of, constitutionally-protected materials. The crime of graffiti is trivial in comparison to last night's attack on the First Amendment."
Mr. Powers' home was in a state of disarray after NYPD left with five 30-gallon bags of seized materials.He was arrested on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon: a pair of lead "brass knuckles" that hung on his wall as an adornment. He was released early Wednesday morning.
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