HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) – A man was arrested Sunday on allegations he painted swastikas on President Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on two separate occasions.
The suspect was taken into custody on suspicion of felony vandalism, Los Angeles police confirmed.
At around 5:30 p.m. Sunday, a witness told CBS2 he saw the suspect scribble on the Hollywood Boulevard star with a black Sharpie and notified police, who responded and immediately took the suspect into custody. The arrest was captured on cell phone video. His name was not immediately released.
A man is taken into custody on allegations he defaced President Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Dec. 23, 2018.
According to TMZ, this is the same suspect who was caught on video Dec. 19 also defacing the star with swastikas.
Mr. Trump’s Hollywood star has been a lightning rod of controversy since he began his presidential run. It’s been destroyed twice over that span.
Mr. Trump’s star had to be replaced after being vandalized with a pickax in October 2016 by a man dressed as a construction worker. He later plead no contest to felony vandalism.
On July 11 of this year, comedian George Lopez pretended to urinate on Mr. Trump’s star using a small water bottle.
Then, on July 25, a 24-year-old man was caught on video again destroying the star with a pickax. The suspect turned himself in to police and was also charged with felony vandalism. This vandalism was followed by several violent brawls at the star between pro-Trump and anti-Trump factions.
Last month, he plead no contest and was sentenced to 20 days community labor and three years of probation.
After the damaged star was replaced in September, a guerrilla artist who goes by the name Plastic Jesus covered it with faux jail bars.
In August, the West Hollywood City Council unanimously passed a resolution urging the removal of Mr. Trump’s star. In response to the resolution, a street artist placed dozens of fake vinyl stars with the president’s name along the Walk of Fame.
“Take down his star, and we will descend upon you with 30 fresh new stars,” The anonymous artist wrote on Twitter. “We are MAGA Legion.”
In September, following calls to also remove Bill Cosby’s star due to his conviction for sexual assault, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce responded by stating it “does not remove stars from the Walk of Fame” because they “are intended to be permanent.”
“The stars only commemorate the recipient’s professional accomplishments,” the chamber wrote. “It is regrettable when the personal lives of inductees do not measure up to public standards and expectations.”
The president received the star in 2007 during his time as a producer and host of “The Apprentice.”
Source: “Los Angeles” – Google News