BROOKLYN (VINnews) — A skinhead was arrested on hate-crime charges, suspected of ripping down a Mezuzah from a Brooklyn yoga studio and painting a large swastika.
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William Klare, 40, of the Bronx, was arrested Friday afternoon for the vicious attack this past Tuesday, after someone recognized the man from a newspaper report, and spotted him on a Manhattan street, then flagged down the cops.
“It looked just like him, so I followed him,” said Dan Pollack, 56. “He was definitely a fishy guy.”
Klare allegedly entered the business around 11:30 a.m. this past Tuesday, sprawled the huge swastika on a chalkboard, tore the Mezuzah from the wall, stole the parchment inside, and wrote a profane message that invoked Nazis.
Police released photos of the tattooed skinhead who they believe broke into the East 17th St. South Brooklyn location.
He was charged with burglary, aggravated harassment, criminal mischief and criminal trespass, along with three other crimes.
“We all feel such relief and happiness,” said yoga studio owner Katia Riva following the arrest. “Thanks to The News for spreading the story so quickly. We’re very glad they got him, it’s great. He’s getting what he deserved.”
Pollock, after recognizing Klare, tailed the suspect for about 45 minutes until tipping the officers. He had previously called 911 and the NYPD Crimestoppers before the foot patrol officers made the arrest.
Once in custody, Klare began shouting at the officers that they had the wrong guy.
“I heard the suspect yelling to the cops that he hadn’t been in Brooklyn,” said Pollack. “He sounded convincing, so I apologized to the cops if it was the wrong guy.
Riva, who said she conducts classes in the early morning and the evenings, did not know about the vandalism until her night instructor came.
“At first she thought it was vandalism, some kids trashed the studio, but the more she looked the more she saw,” Riva said.
Riva said that there’s no specific association with Judaism.
“There are other religious items in the space that were donated by students. It’s a yoga studio, I have a hamsa, I have a mezuzah.”
There was no incident that she can think of that would cause someone to have a grudge against her business.
“It could be someone who has nothing better to do, who knows,” Riva said. ‘You know it’s really hard. Not a single decent person would do something like that. I wouldn’t say anything [to them]. It doesn’t add up to me what were they trying to prove or what is the message. I don’t get the message.
member of ??????
typical American nut case.