Obama ‘Hope’ artist arrested in Boston
The street artist who created the ubiquitous red, white and blue Obama "Hope" posters was arrested Friday in Boston on outstanding graffiti charges, police said.
Shepard Fairey, 38, was arrested en route to an opening party for his first solo art exhibition on two outstanding warrants for property damage by graffiti, Boston police said.
Officer James Kenneally said the instances of graffiti involved images of the late wrestler Andre the Giant - Fairey's tag, CNN reported.
The Friday arrest represents Fairey's second legal tangle this week. Earlier, the Associated Press accused him of copyright infringement, saying the iconic "Hope" portrait of the president is based on an April 2006 photograph of Obama taken by AP's Mannie Garcia.
The AP - the world's largest news organization - is seeking credit and compensation from Fairey, who contends the image is protected by fair use laws.
