Free the Barrel Monsters!

[Gabi Hayes]

RALEIGH -- The Barrel Monster is big, he's orange and white, and he's meant to amuse.

But Raleigh police don't see much humor in the towering creature made of construction barrels that spent less than a day on display in late May near a Hillsborough Street construction zone.

Officers filed misdemeanor charges this week against Joseph Carnevale, a 22-year-old history major at N.C. State University. He is charged with larceny and damage to property -- much to the dismay of a growing contingent of Barrel Monster fans.

Facebook pages such as "Don't Charge Joseph Carnevale" and "Art isn't Crime!" have formed, with Barrel Monster-backers urged to contact Wake District Attorney Colon Willoughby and ask that the charges be dropped.

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090616/NEWS/906169961?Title=NCSU-student-in-hot-water-over-Barrel-Monster

http://www.woostercollective.com/2009/06/barrel_monsters.html

[Gabi Hayes]

1. btw.....if this has been posted before

toenails.....

[Gabi Hayes]

2. death wish?

http://nopromiseofsafety.com/

[Flabbergasted]

3. Really cool. That thing should be in a display in a museum. nt

[Gabi Hayes]

4. If I read it right, it's been seized by the powers that be.....

one of my best friends lives in the Wake Tech area....have to axe him what's up with that.

[Flabbergasted]

5. I bet they could sell it. nt

[Gabi Hayes]

6. it'll be interesting to see what happens to it. I think I read that

a spokesman for the company that owns the barrels was sad to see it go.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. Cool but he did cut up some of the barrels

[Gabi Hayes]

8. that's why they arrested him.

he did break the law, sure

they ought to hire him, though, to make other stuff like that to relieve the awful tedium of sitting in traffic all frickin' day.

just think what they could do with him leading some dangerous potheads on a chain gang, beautifying the highway margins.......

[johnaries]

9. According to NPR, the company that owns them is not filing

charges and are trying to get the barrels back to use as advertising. Which sounds like a smart move to me!

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. I see. Then charges should definitely be dropped

[taterguy]

11. When barrel art is outlawed, only outlaws will make barrel art