Results for: Vandalism

A 29-year-old suspect, Ephraim Matthew Hunter, has been arrested and charged with burglary and vandalism for breaking into the home of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The incident occurred early Sunday morning, and the suspect allegedly gained entry by shattering a glass door. The mayor and her family were home at the time but were unharmed. Hunter is being held on $100,000 bail, and the District Attorney’s Office has charged him with felony counts of first-degree residential burglary and vandalism. The circumstances leading to the break-in are under investigation, and Hunter’s defense attorney has vowed to ensure he receives a fair trial.

Ephraim Hunter, 29, has been charged with first-degree residential burglary with a person present and vandalism for breaking into the Windsor Square residence of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Investigators believe Hunter knew it was the mayor’s home and specifically targeted her. Hunter faces up to 13 years and four months in prison if convicted as charged. The incident occurred around 6:40 a.m. Sunday, with the suspect breaking a glass door and entering the home while the mayor was inside with her family. Hunter cut himself on the broken glass and left blood stains throughout the home. Police said the break-in triggered an alarm that alerted police.

In the wake of ongoing tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict, the offices of Congressmen John Carter (R-Texas) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) have been vandalized by protesters. Rep. Carter’s Georgetown, Texas, office was targeted with blood-red paint, with the words “Free Gaza” emblazoned on the concrete. The incident has prompted a misdemeanor criminal mischief investigation by Georgetown police, who are actively seeking the perpetrators. Rep. Smith’s home in Bellevue, Washington, was also vandalized in a separate demonstration, with protesters advocating for a ceasefire in the Middle East region. Rep. Carter has condemned the vandalism, vowing that the responsible parties will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Despite the incidents, both Congressmen Carter and Smith have asserted that they will not be deterred from their political stances. The incidents underscore the heightened political tensions over the Israel-Gaza conflict and the potential for further acts of vandalism or violence as the situation continues to develop.

Three teenagers have been spared jail time after pleading guilty to vandalizing the Rochdale Cenotaph, a war memorial, by spray-painting the words ‘Free Palestine’ and draping a Palestinian flag over the structure. The incident occurred in November 2022. Despite initially denying the racially aggravated nature of their actions, the teens later changed their pleas and were sentenced to six-month referral orders, along with compensation and court costs. The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the trial due to evidential reasons.

The Shing Mun Redoubt, a hidden underground defensive complex in Hong Kong, faces threats from vandalism and neglect. Built in the 1930s, its unique layout resembles London streets, but this strategic design became irrelevant when the intended defenders were deployed elsewhere. The complex’s tunnels and bunkers, some with wartime damage visible, are now marred by political graffiti, harming its historical significance.

An arrest was made in the vandalism that damaged several items at the Rutgers Center for Islamic Life on the last day of Ramadan. Art pieces with Quranic verses were destroyed, a Palestinian flag was ripped off its pole, windows were shattered, TVs were vandalized, and printers were broken in the attack. The suspect, Jacob Beacher, 24, has been charged with federal charges of damage to religious property and making fraudulent statements. The Rutgers University Police is asking anyone with information to contact them at 848-932-8025.

Jacob Beacher has been arrested and charged with a federal hate crime for vandalizing and burglarizing the CILRU Islamic student center at Rutgers University on Eid al-Fitr. The FBI alleges that Beacher broke a window to enter the building and smashed religious objects and stole a Palestinian flag and a charity box. The university administration has condemned the act of violence and expressed support for the Muslim community.