Vandals Tag Miami's Wynwood Art District
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Art Basel it's not. Over the weekend as the one of Miami's biggest art weekends came to an end, vandals took their own 'artistic' license with spray paint and left their mark in the city's Wynwood Art District.
In an area known for murals adorning the walls, dozens of business were found covered in graffiti Monday morning – the business owners left to pick up the tab for clean up.
"There are artists in the area doing beautiful murals, trying to make the area look nicer, but then you have a few bad apples that was to do their own thing," said Barry Burke of Austin Burke's Men's Clothing.
"It's visible from I-95, we had all the people from Art Basel, it just gives the businesses and the community a very bad impression," said "Lana" from Ultimate Sports.
The vandals struck several blocks of the Wynwood District; business signs, entire walls, windows and roll down security gates were scrawled with spray painted graffiti.
"I very much doubt anyone would consider this to be art. Clearly, it's someone tagging their territory," said Lana.
"It was a bit of a shock," said Burke. "We had the big festival here over the weekend. I don't think the city had enough of a police presence to deter this type of behavior."
Burke thinks whoever is responsible took advantage of the timing.
"I think they were able to blend in with the crowd and do their own thing and leave their so-called mark," said Burke.
The city is doing their part to help in the clean up, but it is still going to cost the business owners.
"The city will bring in workers but owners have to pay for all of the paint and a number of businesses with one owner, that tops up into quite a bit of money," said Lulu. "It's a black eye, a punch in the face, it's just not good."
