Judge awards graffiti artists $6.7M after works destroyed

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge has awarded $6.7 million to graffiti artists who sued after their work was destroyed on buildings torn down to make room for luxury condos.

Federal Judge Frederic Block in Brooklyn noted Monday there was no remorse from the owner of the warehouse buildings.

Twenty-one aerosol artists had sued the owner of a Long Island City, Queens, site known as 5Pointz. The graffiti was painted over in 2013 and the buildings were torn down a year later.

The ruling followed a three-week trial in November.

The judge said he would not have assessed so much in damages if the owner had awaited his permits and demolished the art 10 months later than he did.