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New York City graffiti mecca 5 Pointz faces certain death after receiving a coat of white paint. The Long Island City landmark has remained a point of contention between street artists and developers at odds over the fate of the hulking ode to hip-hop culture. The battle between owner/developers Jerry and David Wolkoff and the 5 Pointz community was prompted by the Wolkoff's initial plans to demolish the site to clear space for luxury housing. Advocates for the living installation lost their battle to save the place late last night when the building's owners gave it a fresh coat of white paint under the watchful eye of local police. The news - a decidedly huge blow to the thriving international street art community - comes just days after a rally to preserve the space considered sacred to so many writers and graf enthusiasts. Supporters reacted in a series of mournful Tweets that capture a range of emotion from the bittersweet to outright rage. It is clear that the move to mute 5 Pointz has incited anger and made waves around the world. Take a look at the tweets below to get a taste of the public outcry over the death of 5 Pointz. Take a look at the catalog of artwork from hundreds of artists prior to the recent destruction via 5ptz.com
