For Banksy, Crime Does Actually Pay

Vandalism shouldn’t get a free pass because the guy with a spray can is a famous artist.

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People take pictures of a suspected new mural by Banksy on a wall at HM Reading Prison in Reading, England, March 1, 2021.

Matthew Childs/Reuters

There is no crime less understandable than graffiti. Vandalism offers the perpetrator nothing — no material gain, no practical advantage, just the petty satisfaction of defacing someone else’s property. It is, almost by definition, the purest form of selfishness dressed up as self-expression.

That is, unless you are Banksy.

Christian Schneider

About the Author

Christian Schneider

Christian Schneider is a National Review contributor and writes the Anti-Knowledge newsletter. He is a co-host of the podcast Wasn't That Special: 50 Years of SNL.

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