Authorities in California threatened a fine against a 102-year-old wheelchair-bound man if he did not paint over graffiti on his home’s vandalized fence, the KTVU reported.
Victor Silva, an Oakland resident who has lived in the same home for the past 80 years, painted over the graffiti on the fence behind his home after city authorities implemented a March 19 deadline, according to KTVU.
Silva often finds graffiti, sometimes referred to as urban art and often an indication of urban decline, painted on his fence, KTVU reported. (RELATED: ‘Death To Israel’: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Vandalize Iconic New York ‘Charging Bull’ Sculpture)
102-year-old Oakland man ordered to clean up graffiti on fence or pay thousands https://t.co/ANQiHt0cQO pic.twitter.com/cVWLPUsXks
— FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) March 22, 2024
Earlier in March, Silva was told by the City of Oakland that he needed to paint over the graffiti by March 19 or the city would levy a $1,100 fine, with another potential $1,277 for each failed re-inspection, according to the outlet.
“It was so absurd, it’s like a joke,” Silva’s daughter-in-law Elena said. “If you drive around the city and see the graffiti everywhere, it’s just I don’t know what to say.”
Silva told KTVU that he was a contractor in his earlier days before being confined to a wheelchair and that it was easy to paint over it himself, KTVU reported.
“Just had a roller and a paintbrush and just painted it,” he said, noting that he’ll be 103 in two months and that has “slowed it up a bit.”
Currently, Silva’s 70-year-old son does the painting, but he said, “It’s hard to keep up with it because as soon as we get it painted, it’s gonna be graffiti on it again, and it won’t last.”
Silva Jr. said that the family owns a commercial property that has been broken into three times in the last year and that each time he has called 911, KTVU reported.
“And I’m put on hold every time. So it’s hard to understand where our tax dollars are going. They can’t answer 911, but they can come out and hassle you about a fence?” Silva Jr. said, adding, “I would hate to think that there [are] other hundred-year-old people that are being harassed like this.”
Oakland’s city inspector is aware of the issue and said he will inspect the fence and consider canceling the citation, KTVU reported.