San Francisco officials crack down on graffiti, arrest 7

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A crackdown on graffiti vandals in San Francisco has led to seven men being arrested. They face a total of 52 felony charges and are accused of causing thousands of dollars in damage.

San Francisco District Attorney Geroge Gascon says they are responsible for tagging buildings around the city, in some cases for years.

Officials say graffiti removal costs the city $20 million a year. It's also a burden on small business owners and tourists.

"It takes us away from running our businesses. It impacts the visitor experience. It makes people feel unsafe so it's really critical we remove that graffiti quickly but better yet get those criminals off the street," said Karen Flood of the Union Square Business Protection District.

He added that all but one of the suspects are in custody.

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