Sidewalk Chalk Writer Faces 13 Years In Jail

A sidewalk chalk writer faces up to 13 years in jail for expressing his views on sidewalks outside three Bank of America branches.

Jeff Olsen was upset about the bailout of large banks like Bank of America, so he he began writing slogans, such as “No Thanks, Big Banks” and “Shame on Bank of America”, outside of the bank branches in San Diego.

The 40-year-old has been charged with 13 counts of vandalism for voicing his opinion. However, Olsen believes that he doesn’t consider what he did to be vandalism.

“Always on city sidewalks, washable chalk, never crude messages, never vulgar, clearly topical,” he said.

Even bank customer Wendy Greene thought the charges were extreme. “No, vandalism is not the work that came to mind. Seemed like freedom of speech. A little extreme, but it was just chalk,” she said.

Judge Howard Shore isn’t allowing free speech to be used as a defense by Olson. He said that the trial will only be about whether Olson is guilty of vandalism or not.

“In light of the fact that it’s clear in the case law, vandalism is not a legitimate exercise of free speech rights. It really is irrelevant what the message is, or content is,” he said.

Mayor Bob Filner supports Olsen and even sent a message to the city council president, asking him to help close the case.

“This young man is being persecuted for thirteen counts of vandalism stemming from an expression of political protest that involved washable children’s chalk on a City sidewalk,” he said.

The city attorney, Jan Goldsmith, said that he prosecutes vandalism and theft cases regardless of who the perpetrator or victim might be.

“We don’t decide, for example, based upon whether we like or dislike banks,” he said. “That would be wrong under the law and such a practice by law enforcement would change our society in very damaging ways.”

Do you think the sidewalk chalk writer deserves jail time?

[Image via Shuttershock]