How is this a good use of HPD’s time?
Photo by Monica Kressman
Investigators are searching for the people who repainted Houston’s popular “Be Someone” graffiti mural in June after a video of the act was posted on Instagram.
Three people participated in repainting the slogan on the Union Pacific-owned railroad bridge over Interstate 45 near downtown, as shown in the video posted on June 8, according to the search warrants. The Houston Police Department assisted the Union Pacific Railroad Police Department in its investigation of the incident.
The “Be Someone” mural, created in 2012 by an artist who goes by the same name, struck a chord with Houstonians. The mural has been painted over with other messages several times, but the changes were always temporary. Most recently, the mural was painted over with the words “Mog Coin” — which is a meme coin. So, unidentified people came together to bring back the iconic artwork, “Be Someone.”
The video showed two people walking down the railroad tracks while carrying paint rollers toward the rail bridge crossing over Interstate 45, according to an Instagram account @lurkinghouston that a Union Pacific peace officer had been following.
The two people were seen painting over the mural with black paint. The Union Pacific peace officer found comments made by the same account revealed that the “Be Someone” graffiti was allegedly restored with help from Instagram users known as @luc.xplore and @dodge.my.ram. The officer found another video on @luc.xplore’s page showcasing the finished “Be Someone” graffiti, but with blue paint.
The officer searched the area after the mural was finished and found paint trays and rollers, as well as a paint lid from a can of blue Glidden latex paint.
“The people responsible for painting the I-45 bridge with paint buckets and rollers are putting their lives and the lives of motorists passing underneath at risk,” Union Pacific officials said in a statement. The railroad transport company called the incident a “threat to public safety” and is taking the issue seriously.
The manager responsible for maintaining the bridge said that repairing it would cost $9,700, according to the documents.
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This isn’t the first time that authorities have taken action against people in connection with graffiti at the site. In 2023, felony charges against graffiti artist Chandrika Metivier were dismissed after Metivier was accused of painting over the sign with “Woman, Life, Freedom,” and “No War Know Peace.”
See here for some background. I agree that this is a risky activity and the potential damage from a screwup is non-trivial. But so far this has been painted and repainted multiple times with no mishaps. I’m not here to tell the Union Pacific Railroad Police Department how to do their business, but I do think that HPD should have higher priorities than this. What exactly was the assistance HPD provided, and how many person-hours did it take up? That might be nice to know.
Really, I question the validity of pursuing this as a crime, at least when the “Be Someone” mural is being restored. This little bit of graffiti, which many people love, is a featured work on the Arts District Houston website and has its own Wikipedia page. Why can’t we just leave it be? Not only is it not hurting anything, it’s a public good at this point. Leave it be and let us enjoy it.
Seems to me it would make more sense to set up a modest fund for safety harnesses etc.
It would be good PR for the company that blocks streets so often.