Last Friday Manuel Castro, a resident of West Hollywood, was so proud of his artistic expression he chose to give an interview to the Huffington Post…an interview given only hours after he had emblazoned the words “Tastes Like Hate” across the wall of a Torrance Chick-fil-A restaurant.  Not being satisfied with taking credit for the deed only once, Mr. Castro proceeded to again reach out to the Huffington Post four days later, on Aug. 7th.

“My statement painted on the side of the Chick-Fil-A in Torrance was not born out of hate.  It was born out of frustration.   It was meant to further a discussion about tolerance and acceptance.  My Facebook wall was simply not large enough to do this.  Contrary to popular belief, I am a proud Christian and I wholly subscribe to the verse: “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.”

Now…isn’t that special!  Well apparently the Torrance Police Dept. wasn’t willing to wait for him to give a third interview,  and they arrested Mr. Castro this evening in West Hollywood.  Just a day earlier Mr. Castro told the Huffington post the following:

“I didn’t use violence. I used paint. Artists for centuries have expressed their opinions through this medium and I am no different,” he said. “I am happy to pay for the costs of repainting the wall, but I am not — nor will I ever be — happy to sit quietly at the back of the bus.”

I’m really glad Mr. Castro has shown such a willingness to pay for damages, because if the cost of the damage is more than $400, he could face charges of felony vandalism, which can carry a sentence of one year in jail and a $10,000 fine.  That really would be special.  By the way, I hear tolerance tastes a lot like chicken.  🙂

(DailyBreeze)…The graffiti vandal who took responsibility for painting the words “tastes like hate” on the back of a Torrance Chick-fil-A has been arrested, police said Thursday.  Manuel Castro, 30, was taken into custody about 7 p.m. Wednesday on suspicion of vandalism after Torrance police detectives found him in West Hollywood, police said.  “He was cooperative,” said Torrance police Sgt. Steven Jenkinson, a department spokesman. “There was no issue with his arrest.”

Castro posted $20,000 bail and was released from the city jail at 11:18 p.m., records show.  A news release said detectives are “still actively investigating the incident” and working to identify another person of interest who may have been involved.  (Read more…)