NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court in New York has approved a $6.7 million award for 21 graffiti artists after their spray paintings were destroyed to make room for high-rise luxury residences.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down the ruling Thursday.
A three-judge panel concluded that a Brooklyn federal judge was correct to award the damages against developers who destroyed the aerosol artwork.
The destruction violated the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, the judges ruled.
The Long Island City, Queens, graffiti site known as 5Pointz was a tourist attraction that drew thousands of spectators daily and formed a backdrop to the 2013 movie, "Now You See Me."
