Man charged in vandalism at Ocean Drive building claims he was trying to cover up swastika

Police arrested a man in connection to one of two acts of vandalism in Miami Beach involving hateful words and symbols Forty-five-year-old David Carroll was taken into custody near Ocean Drive and th Street just after p m on Friday According to Miami Beach Police they received reports of a man drawing on the wall of a private building When officers approached him detectives disclosed Carroll advised them he was homeless and that he is a retired artist trying to fix an antisemitic drawing However investigators commented the colors of the hate symbol were the same colors of the markers that Carroll had in his hands Saturday afternoon Carroll stood before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge William Altfield He did not have malicious intent He noted he was an artist In fact it looks like and I could be wrong but from what I m reading he was attempting to cover up a swastika revealed the attorney representing the suspect The swastika has since been covered up with turquoise paint Further north in North Beach an electrical box along the block of Normandy Drive was vandalized with hateful words directed against Israel As for Carroll he was given a bond He is facing charges of criminal mischief and destruction of property