When Andrew "Cryst" Yarbrough explained to KTVU that the "Cryst" and "Sheep" tags he'd admittedly left all over San Francisco meant "crystal meth" and "conformist gentrification and all that other shit," he was likely trying to explain his motivation for causing a reported $50,000 in damage to private and city property. What he probably didn't expect was for that statement to media to be played back by prosecutors, as it was in a court hearing Thursday.
If you don't know the Cryst's story now, here's a refresher: He got nabbed by the cops while photographing one of his pieces of graffiti in Dolores Park, made multiple comments on SFist explaining himself and his work, and allegedly returned to his tagging ways after being released on his own recognizance.
But at some point, the sheep — if you will — must come home to do whatever sheep do. It seems possible that that time is coming for Cryst, who was in a daylong preliminary hearing yesterday, and is expected to be in another one today. Two full days of sitting still? His spray-paint finger must be itching to depress a nozzle!
According to KTVU, on Thursday prosecutor Kathleen McBride presented evidence of the the self-described "political tagger"'s guilt, including that March 12 KTVU report where Cryst explains what his tags mean to the camera.
"A series of police officers and investigators...showed evidence taken from Yarbrough's home, including nine cans of spray paint, markers, and a computer containing photos of his alleged vandalism," KTVU reports. (To be fair, my home contains all those things as well!)
Department of Public Works staffer and organizer of their Grafitti Advisory Board Jimmer Cassiol told KTVU that officials believe Cryst was engaged in an cat-and-mouse game with DPW cleaning crews, as "It seemed like whoever this ‘Cryst’ was, was basically following our crews. As they were cleaning up the walls of graffiti, another tag would go up."
After today's hearing, we should have a better idea on if Cryst will end up facing the 35 counts of vandalism, including 11 felonies, that the District Attorney's office has filed against him. But as far as the DPW is concerned, they want to see Cryst go down.
"We want to make sure a message is sent out," Cassiol says.
"if you're going to come to San Francisco and you're going to vandalize San Francisco with graffiti, that's not the place you're going to want to do it because you're going to pay for doing it."
Previously: Prolific Tagger Caught Photographing His Work In Dolores Park
Alleged 'Cryst' Tagger Faces 29 Counts Of Vandalism, Might Be Defending His Tags In SFist Comments
'Cryst' Might Be Back To His Prolific Tagging, Is Due In Court Today
