Sanctioned Graffitti

There will no doubt be more to this story, but according to The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, Anarchists (yes spelled with a capital A) were permitted to spray paint the Capitol Building while Capitol Police looked on--because the cops were told by superiors not to spark a confrontation.

Anti-war protesters were allowed to spray paint on part of thewest front steps of the United States Capitol building after police wereordered to break their security line by their leadership, two sources toldThe Hill.

According to the sources, police officers were livid when theywere told to fall back by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Chief Phillip Morse andDeputy Chief Daniel Nichols. "They were the commanders on the scene," one source said,who requested anonymity. "It was disgusting."

After police ceded the stairs, located on the lower west front of the Capitol, the building was locked down, the source added.

A second source who witnessed the incident said that the policehad the crowd stopped at Third Street, but were told to bring the policeline in front of the Capitol.

Approximately 300 protesters were allowed to take the steps and began to spray paint "anarchist symbols" and phrase[s] such as "Our capitol building" and "you can’t stop us" around the area, the source said.

The incident sparks many questions. First, why was the spray painting allowed, it is still vandalism, even if the message is political. For an analogy, you can burn an American flag as free speech, but you can't steal someone else's flag to do it, that is theft and vandalism. Spray painting a public building is vandalism and criminal behavior. So why weren't any arrests made?

Second, who ordered Capitol Hill Police to stand silently by and allow the activity? The Hill seems to indicate Capitol Police Chief Philip Morse, but I am not so sure. According to witness reports from the Right to Life March last week, the Capitol Police were much more stringent in the path and movement of those protestors as compared to the anti-war protesters. One must wonder at the political overtones implicit in the disparate treatment, even if unintended.

Third, we have heard nothing from the Speaker's office or the Majority Leader's office on the incident. Why? Such activity should spark quick protests and demands for heads to roll.

It does not matter who controls Congress, the building belongs to the American people and should be treated with respect.