As the encomiums to just-deceased former New York Mayor Ed Koch are posted, published, and spoken, the Rude Pundit's memories of the man include the "Dump Koch" movement, pushed by graffiti artists, among others. As part of Koch's approach to quality of life issues, he declared a "War on Graffiti," and resistance to that war, which cost millions of dollars, became a flashpoint in the development of hip-hop culture in New York City.
You can argue over the heavy-handedness of Koch's approach - with dogs inside fences (at one point, Koch even suggested wolves), but, well, hell, riding the subway became a far safer proposition. And graffiti artists became heroic outlaws both underground and then on the brand-new MTV. Koch wasn't dumped until 8 years later.