“Amid legal proceedings, 30-year-old Kyle Turner boldly claims ignorance, stating he ‘sincerely didn’t know’ that graffiti in the subway was grounds for arrest. Turner’s statement reflects his lack of awareness of the legal consequences of his actions, raising questions about public perception and understanding of vandalism laws.”
“Kyle Turner, a 30-year-old freelancer at the New York Times and an anti-Israel protester, found himself in legal trouble after being arrested for vandalism. Turner spent a night in jail for writing graffiti with the message ‘ceasefire/free Palestine’ in a Park Slope subway station. Taking to social media on Friday, Turner shared details of his encounter with law enforcement, describing it as ‘stupid’ and expressing surprise at the illegality of graffiti.
“After confessing to vandalism, Turner continued to provide further details, saying, “It was four and a half hours of cops milling about doing paperwork.” Turner, who authored an article titled Is There a Place for Torture Porn in 2017?, per New York Post, called his arrest “a waste of time and resources.” Turner boldly claimed that he “sincerely didn’t know graffiti in the subway was an arrestable offense.”Turner also revealed that one of the cops who asked the other “Lesbian presenting” officer to let him go was a Muslim. “One of the cops turned out to be Muslim and revealed that he tried to ask his partner if he could let me off with a warning, bc he prays at his mosque every day for the people who are starving. But she said i needed to be arrested,” he wrote.
“Turner’s remarks about the Muslim cop suggest that he believed the officer was dissatisfied with his job due to the administrative burdens and late hours, particularly since he was a rookie. Turner also noted that the officer’s electrical engineering degree seemed useless in the United States, leading him to join the NYPD as it was one of the few places willing to hire someone with minimal experience. Turner’s commentary highlights systemic issues within employment opportunities and the perceived challenges faced by individuals with certain qualifications in the workforce.”
“Continuing his reflection, Turner acknowledged that his experience with the NYPD might not be the worst compared to others but was nonetheless struck by two things: firstly, the level of force they exert over seemingly minor incidents, and secondly, the extensive resources expended over what he deemed as a trivial offense involving a Sharpie. Despite expressing annoyance and fatigue after being released at 6:30 a.m., Turner redirected his frustration towards societal structures and institutions, highlighting broader issues within law enforcement and societal norms.”
