Actor charged with vandalizing George Floyd statue

Jenna Romaine and The Hill

3 years ago

FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, file photo, a sculpture of George Floyd, one of three sculptures as part of the "SEEINJUSTICE" art exhibition that also feature the likenesses of Breonna Taylor and John Lewis, is unveiled as Floyd's brother Terrence, second from left, looks at Union Square in the Manhattan borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

(The Hill) — A small-time actor has been charged with vandalizing a statue of George Floyd in New York City.

The New York City Police Department’s Hate Crimes Division announced the arrest of 37-year-old Micah Beals on Twitter Monday. Beals has been charged with criminal mischief in the second degree.

The NYPD reportedly identified Beals from a video of the vandalism, showing a white man with a skateboard throwing silver paint on the statue.

“This act of cowardice and hate is reprehensible,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) tweeted on Oct. 4, the day after the vandalism.

Beals, who is also known by his stage name Micha Femia, has had small one-off roles on TV shows, such as “Parks and Recreation” and “CSI: NY.”

Beals was previously arrested under his stage name in Washington, D.C., for breaking curfew during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.