Next Level Of Graffiti Vandalism Emerging

Seven charged after The Bean in Millennium Park defaced with graffiti

By CHICAGO TRIBUNE STAFF

| CHICAGO TRIBUNE |

JUL 04, 2019 | 8:14 AM

Rey Ortega, left, and Tino Guzman, both 20-years old, are charged with vandalizing The Bean in Millennium Park. (Chicago Police Department)

Seven people have been charged after graffiti was scrawled on The Bean in Millennium Park and the cancer survivor wall in Maggie Daley Park earlier this week. Two of the suspects, Tino Guzman, 20, and Rey Ortega, 20, were charged with felonies after security guards at the park identified them as the ones who defaced The Bean shortly before midnight Monday. Silvery white markings were drawn on two sides of the iconic stainless steel sculpture. They were both charged with criminal damage to property and were to appear in bond court later Thursday. Four of the others were charged with just criminal trespass to state land, though security told police they were among the group who tagged The Bean as well as the cancer survivor wall, garbage cans and benches in the park. A seventh suspect, a 17-year-old boy, was charged with curfew violations. Responding officers found graffiti -- including the words “35th Crew” -- on the north and south sides of The Bean. On the street-level entrance to the park, two benches were tagged with graffiti that said “35th" in the same shade of white paint. Police later found that the cancer survivor wall had been vandalized as well. The graffiti was cleaned by midmorning Tuesday.