The anonymous Chalk-Hooligans struck the parking lot a couple weeks ago with encouraging, happy chalk messages, and their creations were received positively by most of the Los Altos student body. But recently, another group imitated the Chalk-Hooligans with less positive material.

This similarly anonymous band of students attacked at night on Monday, September 12, chalking a couple spots towards the back of the parking lot. Their artwork included sarcastic comebacks, quips and ever-popular tributes to Cincinnati Zoo gorilla Harambe, written beneath the original Chalk-hooligans’ content.

“We saw pics of people being able to paint their parking spots online and it seemed unfair that we couldn’t put whatever we wanted,” an anonymous member of the group said.  “So I guess you could say we rebelled a little bit.”

The Chalk-Hooligans made it clear that they are not connected to the new artwork.

“They’re the real hooligans here,” a Chalk-Hooligan member said. “It was just really disrespectful…we tried to spread positivity, and love, and they did an overplayed meme.”

Administration claimed the incident was relatively foreseeable, mainly because of their lax policy towards the first chalking.

“You want to be consistent about rules like pranks and vandalism,” Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg said. “We are concerned about the permission that’s implied by not immediately washing it away. And I bet if we had immediately washed it away, no one would have thought to come and write negative comments. It’s too bad, but sort of predictable.”

Regardless of its explicit nature, this second wave of washable “vandalism” shared a similar purpose to the initial messages: to brighten student’s moods and boost morale.

“I just wanted to make people laugh,” the member said. “I think everyone just needs to lighten up a bit, to be honest.”

The Chalk-Hooligans disagreed, arguing that this artwork crossed the line and was a nuisance to administration and the janitors.

“Yes, you’re trying to create something funny that people can look at and laugh, but there are also people that will look at that and be offended,” a Chalk-Hooligan member said. “There are also people who have to clean it up.”