BUSH ST. --> PUPPET ST. Photo 1

Saturday, January 20, 2001

San Francisco, CA -- Residents of San Francisco, Calif. awoke this Saturday
morning to discover that nearly one hundred street signs had been sabotaged
in protest of President Bush's inauguration nearly 3,000 miles away.
Overnight, the city's 3 mile-long Bush St. was systematically renamed
"Puppet St."

The widespread alteration of public street signs took place on the eve
of the presidential inauguration of George W. Bush.

San Francisco Police reported no arrests in conjunction with the incident.
Public art expert, Carlos Holmes said "the penalty for defacing public
property does carry a $5,000 fine, making the perpetrators of this politically-charged
act responsible for over $400,000 in damage, the question is whether
or not these temporary signs are do any real permanent damage. "

A group describing itself as "a collective of over 100 everyday folks
motivated by civic honesty" is claiming responsibility for the prank
which left motorists and residents alike puzzling over the sudden appearance
of a Puppet St. along the city's famed Pacific Heights and downtown neighborhoods.


According to a press release faxed to media outlets and city officials,
the collective hopes their gesture will be appreciated by the citizens
of San Francisco as a "creative free speech protest" of "puppet President
George W. Bush."

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