Vandal arrested for defacing Trump Hollywood star

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Los Angeles police have arrested a man suspected of using a sledgehammer to destroy Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Officer Andrew Chambers says Jamie Otis was arrested early Thursday on suspicion of felony vandalism. It wasn't immediately known if Otis has an attorney.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which maintains the popular tourist attraction, says it will take several days to repair Trump's star.

Otis told several media outlets after Wednesday's pre-dawn attack that he originally intended to remove the star. He says he wanted to auction it off to raise funds for the 11 women accusing the presidential candidate of groping them. Trump has denied the groping allegations.

"It was very difficult. The stone was like marble -- hard to get through," Otis said about an hour after his 5:45 a.m. attack on the star. "It would have taken an hour."

Trump's star was dedicated in recognition of his work on NBC's "The Apprentice."

Otis said he spent several nights in Hollywood preparing to carry out what he called an act of non-violent protest. He said he has been arrested about two dozen times in the past for protesting various causes. In this case, however, he acknowledged that an act of vandalism may have crossed the line of non-violence.

With the Associated Press