Man arrested after damaging menorah outside Miami-Dade Tax Collector’s Office
MIAMI — Authorities have arrested a suspect who was caught on camera vandalizing a menorah outside the Miami-Dade Tax Collector’s Office in downtown Miami.
Video footage shows the individual walking up to the sacred symbol, knocking it to the ground, pulling the bulbs from their sockets, and destroying the surrounding fencing before fleeing the scene.
Police arrest suspect accused of menorah vandalism in downtown Miami
Police later identified the suspect as 46-year-old Nicholas Eichorst.
The incident happened just days after the tax collector’s office began its annual menorah-lighting tradition for Hanukkah this year.
“This despicable act of vandalism against our menorah is an attack on the values of faith, perseverance, and unity that Hanukkah represents and that we celebrated together just days ago,” said Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez. “We unequivocally stand with the Jewish community in Miami-Dade County and across the nation. Hate has no home here. Light will always prevail over darkness, and we will not be intimidated.
“The only way to fight darkness is with light, and I will do that every single day of my life.”
Miami police quickly located Eichorst and took him into custody not far from the tax collector’s office.
According to an arrest report, Eichorst told officers, “He threw the ornament to the ground because he had eaten something two nights prior and didn’t know what was going on with him.”
This was not the first time Eichorst faced charges for vandalizing the same property. Last month, police arrested him for criminal mischief after he allegedly threw a rock through a window.
Fernandez said he planned to relight the menorah immediately. It has since been repaired and returned to its original location.
“This guy, he destroyed the menorah, but another good Samaritan come back and lifted the menorah up,” Fernandez said. “That is a part of our community. When something happens in our community, we can unite one community.”
Officials said they hope to identify the good Samaritan so they can thank him properly.
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