Florida man arrested for hanging swastikas, antisemitic banners in Orlando

Thirty-six-year-old Anthony Altick was arrested, which was the second arrest made, about an incident where antisemitic banners and swastikas were hung from a bridge in Orlando, according to a release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) made on Monday.

Altick, along with other members of the hate group “Order of the Black Sun,” placed antisemitic banners on a bridge last June without permission to do so. 

The banners included swastika flags and racist messages; which were hung directly over I-4.

Altick will be charged with criminal mischief, as House Bill 269 requires written permission for content to be displayed on properties.

Under Governor Ron DeSantis’s House Bill 269, individuals and groups require permission to display or project images onto property or structures. This has allowed Jason Brown, who was also arrested in the incident, to be charged for what would otherwise be considered free speech under the 1st amendment. 

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said, “The actions by this suspect will not be tolerated in the great state of Florida. I thank Governor DeSantis for his continued support and our FDLE agents and partners who assisted in this investigation.” 

There are currently two outstanding warrants for individuals involved in the incident. 

The other man arrested

As recorded in an article published by the Jerusalem Post on September 17, 48-year-old Brown was also arrested about the incident.

“We want to thank Governor DeSantis for his support of law enforcement and the signing of HB 269, giving us the tools to arrest this hate-filled radical,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass, at the time of the first arrest. “This activity will not be tolerated in the greatest state in the country, Florida.”

“Florida is a law-and-order state. Today’s arrest demonstrates Florida’s commitment to protecting residents from attention-seeking extremists,” said Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner, at the time of the first arrest. “On behalf of Colonel Gary L. Howze, II, and the nearly 2,000 FHP State Troopers who enforce our state law 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thank you, Governor DeSantis, for working to rid this state of intimidation, vitriol and hate directed towards people of faith, and for empowering law enforcement to do the same.”