Trump supporter admits to daubing 'anti-Donald' graffiti at playground to frame liberals
Stephen Marks apologised for his actions, calling them 'stupid'.
A Connecticut man has admitted to writing threatening anti-Trump graffiti in an elementary school playground in the hopes to frame liberals. The Trump supporter said he believes Democrats are "disrespectful to our government".
Stephen Marks said he was being "dumb" when he vandalized the playground equipment at Morley Elementary School in Hartford, Connecticut on 15 June.
Days later, West Hartford Police released a 28-second surveillance video clip showing man wearing a Boston Red Sox t-shirt, riding a bicycle onto the playground with a white and brown dog. The suspect, who was identified as Marks, appears to write something on a sign.
Marks reportedly wrote: "Kill Trump," "Left is the best," "Bernie Sanders 2020" and "Death to Trump," according to the Hartford Courant. The 32-year-old has been ordered by a judge to stay away from the school.
The suspect told police on 19 June that he graffitied the property "out of 'anger towards liberals and they are breaking major laws everyday and being disrespectful towards our government," his arrest warrant states. Marks was playing catch with his dog when he found a green Sharpie marker on the grounds.
He told police he "'had the dumb idea to vandalize the school with what would seem to be liberal hate speech.'" Marks said he hoped the vandalism appeared to have been done by the "left," the Courant reported.
Marks saw his photo in the news and contacted authorities before turning himself in on a warrant for third-degree criminal mischief and breach of piece. According to the Courant, he posted $500 bail.
In an interview with the Courant, Marks said he was sorry and that his actions were "stupid". The self-proclaimed Trump supporter would not explain why he wrote the anti-Tump graffiti. "It was just a stupid thing I did at the time," he said. "It was stupid, stupid, stupid."
According to Boston Magazine, Marks' case has been continued to 2 August. A prosecutor asked for more time to figure out restitution with the town.
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