Iconic San Francisco Graffiti artist arrested after thousands of tags across city
Law enforcement officials and local business proprietors believe they may have apprehended a prolific graffiti artist in San Francisco, notorious for tagging ‘Goer’ on storefronts and walls throughout downtown neighborhoods.
On Sunday morning, Brian Wabl, a 41-year-old resident of San Francisco, was taken into custody on suspicion of vandalism, following a tip from a witness who directed officers to intercept him on Howard Street, situated between Seventh and Eighth streets in the SoMa district. As of Monday afternoon, official records indicate that Wabl remains in detention.
Adam Mesnick, the proprietor of the SoMa-based restaurant Deli Board, shared a video on Twitter documenting the arrest. While the meaning of ‘Goer’ remains unclear, an Instagram account associated with Brian Wabl makes references to a dog named Goer. The video can be seen below. In fairness, this is a good example of an individual using their own independent detective work.
Christian Martin, the Executive Director of SoMa West CBD, recalled observing numerous Goer tags spread throughout the district over the course of several years, amounting to dozens, if not hundreds. Similarly, eyewitnesses have speculated that thousands of Goer tags have hit the city over the years.
It should be noted that even if Wabl is the mastermind behind the Goer tag, actually convicting him may prove incredibly difficult due to a possible lack of evidence.
