Others do it illegally, under cover of darkness in subway depots and on other public and private property. They establish contacts with their American counterparts through a myriad of underground magazines distributed in record shops in Europe, Australia and Japan as well as on the Internet. If they are old enough, they often have small goatee beards. If it is cold enough, they will wear black or gray quilted jackets. The Germans even bring their own spray paints, which are said be far smoother, to create with than their American equivalents.
Illegal graffiti is vandalism.
DeLillo said New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has been particularly tough on graffiti artists, who can expect steep fines from the courts, community service orders and restitution if caught. Recently, the medium has specifically been used to protest urban violence and commemorate those who have died as a result of it. Mark Awfe, who runs Soho Down and Under, said there has been a marked increase in the number of foreigners coming to his small shop over the past few years. Graffiti tourists tend to shun the traditional sights, like the Empire State Building or Broadway, preferring instead to go from painted wall to painted wall, usually near subway stations or parking areas, where they are usually illegal. Others congregate at train depots in the middle of the night to illegally spray subway trains that police anti-graffiti patrols will rub off within in a day or so.