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Vandalism is the conspicuous defacement or destruction of a structure or symbol which turns out to be, if one follows a Classical liberalism philosophy, against the will of the owner/governing body. Historically, it has been justified by painter Gustave Courbet as destruction of monuments symbolizing "war and conquest". Therefore, it can be done as an expression of contempt, creativity, or both. Vandalism only takes sense in a culture that recognize history and archeology. Like other similar terms (Barbarian/barbary, and Philistine and Bastard), the term Vandal was originally an ethnic slur referring to the Vandals, who sacked Rome in 455, but unlike the Berbers and Basters, the Vandals, like the Philistines, no longer exist as an identifiable ethnic group.

The term was coined in January 1794 during the French Revolution, by Henri Grégoire, constitutional bishop of Blois, in his report directed to the Republican Convention, where he used word Vandalisme to describe some aspects of the behaviour of the republican army. Gustave Courbet's attempt, during the 1871 Paris Commune, to put down the Vendôme column was one of the most celebrated event of vandalism, on which Friedrich Nietzsche meditated afterwards (the assassins of culture (see P. Klossowski Nietzsche and the Vicious Circle ). The Vendôme column was considered a symbol of the past Napoleon III empire.

Official vandalism

of his image from temple reliefs and inscriptions. This is official vandalism.

Vandalism as crime

[[Image:Graffitiforvandalismarticle.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Graffiti tagging is an

Vandalism as Art

For more information, see the main article about Graffiti

See also

• Iconoclasm

External links

• Graffiti.org

• Crimes