Outrageous Vandalism!

Anarchists put fake newspapers in USA Today newsboxes, with a banner headline reading "Capitalism Wins at the Polls," topping a photo of a bonfire, and followed by another headline reading "Anarchy Brewing in the Streets." A clip of a TV report from another blog: the report says that police are reviewing surveillance tapes in hopes of catching the culprits.

Now this is silly. Who was hurt by this action? Did anyone buying a newspaper suffer from assault or fraud? Were newsbox sales disrupted by this? More likely, the novelty encouraged sales, and after all the fake front was wrapped around the standard edition, which was not defaced or diminished in value by it.

But newspapers succeeded in getting laws passed years ago that impose stiff penalties on newsbox vandals, and this apparently will be treated like a big deal. I'll try to follow it.....