Editorial: Smack Fresno police memorial vandal with graffiti-cleanup sentence

The facts of the vandalism case involving Brian David Sumner are simple and not in dispute.

When his anti-police signs failed to attract attention at a protest in downtown Fresno, Sumner used chalk to scribble “FPD = Guilty,” “Badges don’t grant extra rights” and “Fresno Liberty Movement” on a granite monument honoring 12 police officers killed in the line of duty.

It was a clear-cut case of vandalism.

Sumner, a former Army medic, wasn’t willing to admit that he broke the law, however, and decided to fight the misdemeanor case against him in Fresno Superior Court.

His defense?

He had two, actually.

Sumner, 26, told the court that he was merely exercising his constitutional right to free speech, and besides the damage wasn’t permanent because the chalk was easily removed.

The jury didn’t buy it, and neither do we.

Vandalizing a public memorial — regardless of whether the graffiti is easy or difficult to remove — is a contemptible act and deserving of punishment.

There is a big difference between chalking up a sidewalk to play hopscotch and cleaning it after the game is over and chalking up, in full public view, a monument to fallen police officers.

Sumner’s actions were intended to provoke a reaction. When he got more than the reaction he wanted — the possibility of a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine — he conjured up a silly defense instead of taking responsibility and accepting the consequences for his actions.

As any schoolboy or schoolgirl who has studied the Constitution knows, there are limits to free speech. Sumner exceeded them with this selfish act intended to bring attention to himself and to his cause — and to disrespect Fresno’s police force.

Besides vandalism, Sumner is guilty of something else: painting the Fresno Police Department with much too broad of a brush.

Nearly all of the police officers who serve this community give their best efforts every day. They start every shift knowing that while much of what they do is routine, there is also the possibility that they will face a life-or-death, split-second decision.

It is a big burden to bear. And the record shows, despite what the critics claim, that Fresno’s police officers do their jobs quite well.

Is there room for improvement? Yes, just as there is room for improvement in any police force, any organization or any business.

One thing for sure: Defacing a public memorial does nothing to foster a cause. It merely reveals lack of character and clarity of thought by the person responsible for the vandalism.

Sumner is scheduled to be sentenced July 23.

We recommend that the judge assign him community service cleaning up graffiti.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 9:54 AM with the headline "Editorial: Smack Fresno police memorial vandal with graffiti-cleanup sentence."