SEATTLE — On Tuesday, Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison filed civil cases under the city’s new ordinance against three prolific taggers, accused of causing thousands of dollars in damage.
The city is seeking around $40,000 in civil penalties and restitution from taggers going by the names “ALURE,” “LABRAT,” and “NOMAS.”
The complaints filed on Monday involve 25 violations committed by the taggers.
“These civil lawsuits will help hold prolific graffiti taggers accountable for the damage they do in Seattle, while we continue to prosecute taggers through the City’s criminal code,” said City Attorney Davison. “My message is simple: if you vandalize the Emerald City, you will pay. These three lawsuits filed today are just the beginning. We fully intend to aggressively enforce this new law against taggers and expect to file more cases in the near future.”
The new graffiti ordinance was approved in July by a 7-1 Seattle City Council vote. It subjects taggers to a civil penalty of up to $1,500 per graffiti violation.
The City of Seattle’s Graffiti Restitution Ordinance went into effect in August of this year.
In 2024, there were a reported 28,816 instances of graffiti vandalism in Seattle.
According to the city, graffiti costs small businesses and property owners tens of millions of dollars per year to clean up, and the city itself spends approximately $6 million annually on graffiti abatement.
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