Business & Tech

Artist Arrested in Chick-fil-A 'Hate' Vandalism Case

Police in Southern California also reportedly are looking for an accomplice in the incident.

The gay artist who publicly took responsbility for painting "Tastes Like Hate" graffiti on a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Southern California has been arrested, according to media reports.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Manuel Castro, 30, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism on Wednesday, Aug. 8, in West Hollywood.

-- Do you agree with this artist's method of protesting the Chick-fil-A corporate view of marriage? Tell us in the comments below.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Police are also looking for a second person who may have played a role in the incident, the Times reported.

The graffiti — accompanied by a representation of a cow holding a paint brush — appeared during a week of demonstrations at Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide. The demonstrations were sparked by company President Dan Cathy's public affirmation of the so-called biblical definition of marriage.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Discovered about Friday, Aug. 3, at the Southern California restaurant, the vandalism coincided with "National Same-Sex Kiss Day," when gay rights supporters asked couples to take photos of themselves kissing at Chick-fil-A locations.

Castro took credit for the graffiti in an interview with the Huffington Post.

The Times reported that investigators were aware of Castro's comments and worked to independently identify him as their suspect. Using "numerous items of evidence" discovered at the scene as well as information gathered during their investigation, detectives consulted with the Los Angeles district attorney's office before arresting Castro.

A day before he was taken into custody, Castro made another statement to the Huffington Post, telling his critics the act was "meant to further a discussion about tolerance and acceptance."

The national demonstration days also were observed at Chick-fil-A restaurants in Suwanee. The Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day on Aug. 1 helped the company to record sales.

See also:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Suwanee