HARTFORD, Conn. — A man has been charged on Wednesday after allegedly drawing a swastika on a "Black Lives Matter" mural in Hartford this past weekend.
Hartford police said Scott Franklin, 36, of no certain address, was taken into custody and charged with Intimidation Based on Bigotry or Bias in the 3rd Degree, Breach of Peace in the 2nd Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree.
In court Thursday, officials said Franklin will not post $150,000 bond. They said he is homeless and lives around Union Station, has “White Pride” and 1488 tattooed on his back. Documents revealed he is affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood. He has an extensive record in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia including DUI hit and run, risk of injury and domestic violence.
Officials said he used red marker to deface the “E” in “Lives."
The incident was reported on Sunday at 7:43 a.m. when officers were dispatched to 99 Trinity Street on a hate crime report. It was learned that a swastika, with the numbers 14 and 88, was drawn on the Black Lives Matter mural. The numbers are used by white supremacists as a shorthand for "the 14 words", a supremacist slogan, and for "Heil Hitler".
The Major Crimes Division, Crime Scene Division, and Intelligence Divisions investigated and found probable cause for Franklin's arrest. An arrest warrant was approved by the court, charging Franklin with the crime. Franklin was found by members of the North Street Crimes Unit and was taken into custody. He was transported to the Hartford Police Detention Facility for processing.
The mural was originally painted in the summer of 2020, was being repainted by local community artists after the road was repaved. The finished mural was unveiled on Tuesday.
Mayor Luke Bronin issued the following statement: "The Hartford Police Department did tremendous work to identify and apprehend the person responsible for this hate crime so quickly, and I'm grateful to the HPD and the Major Crimes Unit. There's no place for that kind of hate in Hartford, and the person responsible needs to be held accountable. I'm proud to be part of a community that is united, beautifully diverse, and more committed than ever to the idea that we're stronger together."
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