New York Could Make Graffiti a “Hate Crime” by Elaine Velie #Hyperallergic
"Governor Kathy Hochul voiced her support for a bill that would apply the designation to several offenses including graffiti.
New York Civil Liberties Union Senior Policy Counsel Justin Harrison spoke to this point, telling Hyperallergic that longer sentences “are rarely the answer.”
“With hate crimes, there’s always a concern about disparate and sort of disproportionate enforcement,” said Harrison, noting that the government could harness the new legislation to target individuals who express opinions it disagrees with. “That element is perhaps heightened when you look at something like graffiti, because it is going to be enforced against somebody who tries to convey their views.”"