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![[mural on MLK]](https://www.pjw.info/copwatch/PPR20/muralPPR20.gif)
MURAL BRINGS POLICE RACISM If you've cruised down Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard lately, you've probably noticed the graffiti mural painted on the side of Galore Paging. If you've taken a closer look, you may have observed that the piece is not only colorful and artistic in its expression, but political in its content. Curious to find out what else he had to say, we tracked down the artist, Tazroc, for an interview. Copwatch: When did you get started with graffiti? Tazroc: Well, I've been doing it for about 13 years. I started with illegal walls. And about 11 years ago I organized a legal wall, 'cause we were being chased by police. What happened actually is that my friend got bit by a police dog before we quit doing illegal, 'cause it was getting really out of hand-- CW: This was in Portland? TR: This was actually in Eugene. So we organized a legal wall, so that we could paint any time and we wouldn't have any problems. And I would use it for my expressions, whatever I felt like doing. And it kept a lot of kids from doing illegal. And it kind of inspired a lot of artists to keep painting, and that was just my goal--to get people to start painting, and stay inspired. And then I moved up here about 5/6 years ago, and started organizing youth hip-hop functions with graffiti and hip hop culture. I legalized a wall at the end of last year and it was for the same reason--to keep kids doing it legal, to inspire each other, to learn... to just make it more positive, 'cause I know a lot of kids that do illegal graffiti...and I want to keep them...out of jail, basically... In the mural [on MLK], I'm trying to express to everybody what's going on around them, and who it's affecting. And if we don't do something to change it, it's not going to get any better. [In the mural] I have capitalists and police, just looking down at the people and laughing...watching people hurt themselves. I was traveling around the country about two years ago, and every city I went to they were building a new jail, and passing laws like Measure 11. All these things make it hard for people, keep them from getting a second chance. I've been in the system. I just see all these people together--the same class of people--that will all eventually be put in jail--brushed off, cleaned up. That's what the mural is about. Those people just watching and waiting. Nobody wants crime...in their neighborhood, but there's gotta be alternatives. There's no rehabilitation in jail, so its like all these people are getting put away and I see it all the time. There are no role models out there any more, just punishment, that's it. There's no other way to go. So what we try to offer is our culture-- graffiti and hip-hop...to offer that as a way to go. I've done presentations in the penitentiary... at MacLaren [Juvenile Center], just trying to inspire the people in jail. CW: It also seemed like there was a pretty direct relationship between the white capitalists and police, and then the communities they're affecting--as if they're creating the social problems. TR: That's what I was trying to do in the beginning...to make it look like it was a cage that we were in. Everyone is separated. Colors are separated. Blacks, Mexicans--we're all in sections, and that's the way they want it. I've lived in a lot of neighborhoods and I've seen how it is... I wanted to get across that everything is going according to plan. [In the mural] the judge has a gavel and is sentencing people. Hitting it like a hammer...I've been to jail and guards would be like, "Garcia, I thought we had you all." Y'know there's nothing but Mexicans in that jail. What does that tell you? There's nothing but Mexicans and Blacks, it's ridiculous. And I really try to focus on the kids, expressionistically. Because babies are innocent, and they're going to be a product of their environment. They're going to take what they see as natural--alcohol, drugs. The message was aimed towards everybody. A lot of people are smart, but they do ignorant things to get by because it's all they know. That's why I do my art, to direct my energy away from drugs, crime, gangs. I did that mural for the message, but I also did it to inspire people. In 1990, following an incident in which his brother was brutalized by a Eugene police officer, Tazroc painted a mural called "Panic Stricken." Reflected in the eyes of the person he painted was a police officer raising his billy club. We asked him to tell us a bit more about his experiences with the police. TR: [Personally,] I've had less problems here with cops than in smaller towns. There was an incident right in front of my house. It happened to be all white cops beating a black guy. My friend has been kicked in the knee by a cop. The cops harassed me a lot in Eugene. Some cops get really personal with you, and don't really do their jobs. My experience is that some cops can't handle stress, and so they'll take things personally...like they'll get mad and stuff like that. I get pulled over a lot for DWM. Driving While Mexican. I just see something wrong with that. Because of my experiences, I don't drive around late at night. I don't have a car that attracts a lot of attention anymore. Cops would see me, pull me over in a second thinking "hmm...low steering wheel, '64 Impala, Mexican..." I had a cop pull a gun on me for no reason. It does bother me because I'm constantly thinking about it. It's always there. I don't worry about me as much as my kid. Once I was pulled over and taken to jail while he was left there. Then one day I took him downtown with me. There was a taxi cab up ahead with the door open. He flipped out, thinking it was a cop car. He's only three years old. He doesn't need to grow up with that. I can't say all cops are bad. I have friends who are cops. But I know there's those cops out there that can't handle their job. I think if there are cops, they should patrol in the neighborhoods they grow up in, or they live in. So that it would be more trusting for the community. I see a lot of older white cops around neighborhoods, that, y'know, I know they didn't grow up in. Next year I'm hoping to propose something to the school districts to get a mural at each school. When I was in school there was nothing for me to paint. The only walls were illegal. Every school needs to set aside a section. It would reduce the tagging, and direct the kids that have no other outlets... I want to help keep graffiti art in a positive way. I'm trying to get out there and reach people; to brighten up neighborhoods.
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April, 2000
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Portland Copwatch Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.
People's Police Report
#20 Table of Contents
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