User:Joofjoof/Sérgio Toniolo

Sérgio José Toniolo (born 17 October 1945) is a Brazilian graffiti artist and former civilian policeman from Porto Alegre. He became known for writing his surname Toniolo throughout the city of Porto Alegre.

During the 1970s, Toniolo drew attention for writing frequently to newspapers in Porto Alegre, the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul. According to journalist Marcelo Campos, Toniolo was the national record holder for participation in letters to the editor sections. After publishing criticism of the police chief, Toniolo was retired due to mental problems, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. From then on, he began to graffiti the walls of Porto Alegre, acquired followers who admired him and helped spread his name throughout the capital and the cities of the gaucho coast.

Toniolo ran several political campaigns for false candidacies for the non-existent party PAB (Brazilian Anarchist Party). In the 1990 elections, he distributed a huge amount of pamphlets, promoting himself as governor of the state. The campaign resulted in lawsuits, since at the time it was a crime to incite the null vote.

Toniolo told the press that he would graffiti the Piratini Palace on 17 March 1984 at 5 pm. At the appointed time, there were 200 policemen protecting the walls of the headquarters of the executive branch of government. Toniolo was arrested while writing the last letter of his name.