Chalking Vandal Acquitted in San Diego

The streets of San Diego may be safe once again for nefarious chalking after a jury acquitted a local man accused of 13 counts of vandalism for scrawling anti-bank messages on sidewalks.

1 minute read

July 5, 2013, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"The San Diego sidewalk chalk protester whose markings outside three Bank of America branches led to prosecution on 13 misdemeanor counts was found not guilty Monday on all charges," reports Trent Seibert. "The prosecution of Jeff Olson by City Attorney Jan Goldsmith’s office became a national sensation and was the subject of a “Chalk-U-py” protest in San Diego over the weekend."

"Olson theoretically faced jail time of 1 year and a fine of $1,000 for each count if convicted," notes Seibert. "The idea of 13 years in custody was a potential penalty widely mocked in the national media, even though prosecutors said incarceration of any sort is rare in vandalism cases, nevermind anything over a year."

The case may seem extreme, but a Mother Jones article that appeared last year noted that: "Over the past five years, at least 50 people in 17 American cities have run afoul of authorities for coloring things with chalk."



Monday, July 1, 2013 in San Diego Union-Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

3 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

5 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press