Viral Documentary Leads to Police Raid of Vandal’s Graffiti Supplies

After a YouTube documentary featuring him went viral, police raided the stash of an alleged Portland “veteran vandal.”

In May 2024, the YouTube channel ‘CHAOSTOWN’ uploaded a 36-minute documentary that delves into Portland’s “graffiti war”by interviewing members of both sides in an effort to comprehend the underlying cause of the conflict.

During the visit, the channel’s host, Jameson, was introduced to a “veteran vandal”who preferred to remain anonymous. This individual revealed their hidden “secret stash spot”to Jameson, which contained over $20,000 worth of spray paint.

Allegedly, 40-year-old James S. Fischel has been identified by Portland police as the “vandal”in question. They proceeded to raid and confiscate the numerous supplies he had hidden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7npnxP_6poA

Portland is losing the ‘graffiti war’ | CHAOSTOWN S1FINALE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7npnxP_6poA)

In the documentary, named ‘Portland is losing the ‘graffiti war’, undercover Fischel disclosed that he was recognized as GIMER in the graffiti world, which stands for Graffiti Is Me Escaping Reality.

The individual referred to his graffiti as “artistic vandalism”and proudly displayed his organized collection to Jameson, stating that it was the ultimate dream for any graffiti artist.

According to The Oregonian, authorities executed a search warrant at a residence on Southeast 174th Avenue in the Centennial Neighborhood after a YouTube video led them to a suspect accused of graffiti vandalism. During the search, they uncovered over 1,500 cans of spray paint.

Despite not being arrested, Fischel’s location has been confirmed by The Oregonian and officials are currently pursuing criminal charges against him.

After hearing about the raid, CHAOSTOWN posted a comment at the top of the video, refuting any claims of disclosing Fischel’s identity to the authorities.

Despite our unconventional appearance, CHAOSTOWN has not faced any inquiries from law enforcement. We pride ourselves on upholding journalistic standards, including protecting the anonymity of our sources and not disclosing them to anyone.

Despite one person questioning the timing of Fischel’s appearance in the documentary before being raided, not everyone was convinced. The individual claimed that one of the taggers interviewed in the documentary was subsequently arrested, casting doubt on Fischel’s motives. They expressed skepticism and implied that this incident could hinder Fischel’s ability to secure interviews in the future.

Some viewers expressed uncertainty and requested a more detailed update from the channel. However, there were also those who defended the channel, noting that Fischel had not concealed his tattoos or eyes in the video.

“It is likely that the police are familiar with GIMER and identified him in this video. They probably conducted surveillance on his house and subsequently raided it once they had sufficient evidence. The truth will be revealed in due time.”