Brisbane Council 'overzealous' on Street Artists

A bitter war between legal street artists and Brisbane's anti-graffiti taskforce has reached flashpoint, with police detaining painters hired by community groups, according to Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper.

The paper reports that the saga began late last year when police allegedly pinned down experienced aerosol artists who had been paid for a mural at the Brisbane Women's Hockey Association (BWHA) building at Downey Park, Windsor.

The artists, who fear reprisals if they are identified, had a letter of permission from the association but have ceased work after another confrontation with police last month.

Aerosol artist 'Mikey', 34, has worked for the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council as well as councils in Redcliffe, Redlands, Ipswich, Logan, Sydney and Melbourne.

"We had a laminated letter of permission and were finishing when the officers came out of nowhere," Mikey said. "They didn't say anything but pinned my partner to the ground. They looked for any reason to charge us, but had to walk away when they saw our letter."

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson last week voiced concerns police were getting too heavy-handed.

Police have acknowledged the incident at Windsor, but have not commented on it.

BWHA spokeswoman Kathy Proctor said Mikey had been doing murals for the club for 15 years, and she hoped the council would allow him to continue the work.

The Courier-Mail spoke to six other street artists who have had dealings with the council and police officers while completing legal murals.

Carl, 30, from Paddington, has been paid by Leightons Contractors for a 40 metre x 5 metre animal mural on an Ipswich Motorway overpass at Wacol.

"I've been told by police they will charge me for destruction of property for each nozzle of spray can they find on me," Carl said. "Police would approach me four times in four months without laying charges.

"I've also done work for the Australian Defence Force and the University of Queensland, but I'm treated like a criminal."

Joshua Collings, of Josh Levi Galleries at Woolloongabba, said he had dealt with dozens of legitimate artists who complained of "overzealous" officers of the joint police and Brisbane City Council Taskforce Against Graffiti (TAG).

Collings explained that "there's been a big change in the way street artists have been treated in the last few years, even when it's those that are obeying the law and doing the right thing."

The Lord Mayor's office and community services chairwoman Geraldine Knapp declined to comment.

Police have charged 127 people with 3,652 offences since the launch of TAG in October 2008.