Vandalism in the form of spray painting on rocks is becoming a scourge in Joshua Tree and other national parks. A well-known international street artist appears to have vandalized Joshua Tree National Park last week. According to the blog Modern Hiker, Andre Saraiva, also known as Mr. Andre, posted a photo to his Instagram account February 25 showing a rock with graffiti on it, and claiming to be the artist. Mister Andre claimed via Instagram that the “art” was created “with love in a friend’s privet [sic] back yard,” But Modern Hiker determined that the rock was in the parking lot of the trailhead to Contact Mine, just inside the north entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. Park Ranger Jeff Ohlfs told Modern Hiker that they have Mr. Andre “in [their] sights.” The Twentynine Palms Inn confirmed that they had given Saraiva—who stayed at the Inn—permission to tag a pink wall there.
In October, a 21-year-old New York State woman, Casey Nocket, was identified as a primary suspect in vandalizing eight national parks—including Joshua Tree—in the western United States. The woman, who used acrylic paint on rocks inside Yosemite, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Rocky Mountain, Crater Lake, Zion, Canyonlands National Parks, and Colorado National Monument, signed her graffiti drawings as Creepytings. Vandalism is a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
http://www.modernhiker.com/2015/02/27/is-mr-andre-tagging-in-joshua-tree/
