Seattle is stepping up its fight against graffiti and tagging under a newly passed ordinance, with City Attorney Ann Davison filing civil lawsuits against three alleged prolific taggers known by their street names: ALURE, LABRAT, and NOMAS. The suits seek roughly $40,000 in civil penalties and restitution, citing thousands of dollars in damage to both public and private property across multiple neighborhoods.
The legal action follows the Seattle City Council’s approval this summer of a new ordinance authorizing civil liability for illegal graffiti, with fines of up to $1,500 per violation, retroactive penalties going back up to three years in some cases. Davison says the ordinance gives her office tools to hold taggers financially accountable for cleanup and repair costs that taxpayers and business owners currently shoulder.
In the lawsuits announced, the city names three individuals: Zorica Klaich (ALURE), Robert Holl (LABRAT), and Eduin Miramontes (NOMAS). According to court documents, each has been tied to multiple incidents of tagging, with evidence ranging from direct observations, police identification, and even previous arrests. For example, Holl was allegedly arrested in 2021 after being caught tagging “LABRAT” on a public sign; Miramontes had previously been cited in Los Angeles in a graffiti injunction.
Mayor Bruce Harrell and the City Attorney’s Office have emphasized that these lawsuits are meant to send a message: vandalism comes with consequences. In statements, Davison pledged that this is “just the beginning,” as the city plans to bring more cases under the new law. The move has received backing from business owners and neighborhood groups frustrated by recurring cleanup costs, though some critics question whether civil penalties alone are enough to deter tagging.
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