Florida Man Arrested for Swastika Banner Display on Highway Overpass
A Florida man, identified as a member of an extremist group, was apprehended for displaying a banner featuring swastikas on a highway overpass. This act constitutes a violation of a recent state law, which makes it a crime to exhibit images on a structure without proper authorization.
The law, enacted earlier this year, was a response to instances involving the distribution of antisemitic literature and the projection of racist and antisemitic messages onto buildings.
The arrest took place in Cape Canaveral, where the individual was taken into custody on Tuesday, based on an arrest warrant issued in Orange County, Orlando.
As per the details provided in the arrest warrant, the man, accompanied by others dressed in black and camouflage attire, unfurled the banner adorned with swastikas and a “white power” flag above an overpass crossing Interstate 4 in Orlando during the month of June.
“The displaying of these signs and banners onto the fence was knowingly and intentionally done without the written consent of Orange County,” emphasized the arrest warrant.
The individual has been associated with an antisemitic extremist group, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Consequently, he now faces a criminal mischief charge.
Furthermore, the FDLE has disclosed the existence of three outstanding arrest warrants for other demonstrators residing outside of the state.