The City of San Antonio has a strict anti-graffiti ordinance. Unfortunately, that 2007 ordinance classifies sidewalk chalk as “graffiti” and it’s possible to be fined for using it. One Texas street artist is fighting back against this. He uses his art to promote the idea that sidewalk chalk should be allowed anywhere, even if it means he’ll get fined.
Street artist and activist, Lakey Hinson, is speaking out against laws that ban graffiti in San Antonio, including chalk. On his TikTok, @lakey_360 posts interactions that he has with individuals and police over his street art. Lakey has personally been fined several times for creating sidewalk chalk art in the city of San Antonio. In his most recent interaction, he visits a local news station to create his art.
In the video, Lakey visits KSAT12, a news station, to create art on the sidewalk outside their property. Why? As he says, “Local news refuses to warn watchers that San Antonio calls sidewalk chalk illegal.” As such, he says “I am forced to create in front of every news outlet in the city.” Lakey spins in circles, creating perfect geometric masterpieces with his chalk. When an employee at the news station confronts him, Lakey assures him, “It’s public.” The employee tells him immediately to “go do it somewhere else.” But Lakey stands firm and asks him, “This is public property though, right?”
When questioned, the employee instantly clams up, looking baffled by the interaction. He tells Lakey again that he isn’t allowed to be there. When Lakey asks him what he’s doing wrong, the employee waves him off and tells him he’ll send somebody out to deal with him. Lakey sees a police officer drive by while all of this is happening, who gives him a ‘thumbs up.’
At the end of the video, Lakey shows his masterpiece to his audience. At the end of the sidewalk, he’s written in chalk: “Is jail appropriate punishment for sidewalk chalk? SA Park Police have cited me 10 times claiming washable chalk is illegal graffiti. KSAT refuses to warn watchers.” This is his way of fighting back.
Lakey spoke with news recently about what he’s faced since starting his protest project. On June 15, he was drawing on the sidewalk when Leon Valley Police arrested him. He said he was thrown in cuffs right away, and taken to jail where he was thrown in a cell. This all happened because of sidewalk chalk. He was eventually arrested, but only after the trauma of dealing with an arrest. Now, Lakey fights back in the best way he knows how. He even received a settlement and an apology from the city for his arrest.
Lakey’s followers, as well as new commenters, immediately reacted to his video and his statements on the matter. One commenter stated, “And that’s why all art is political.” Another commented on behalf of the way the news employee handled things: “People are so miserable.” Another commenter shared, “The irony that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are both the same amendment seems lost on the news station.”
Commenters continue to react to Lakey’s video, showing their support and speaking out about free speech. They encourage him to continue his art and stand up for what’s right in San Antonio.
