JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A stun gun was used by Jacksonville Beach police on an individual after they allegedly painted a swastika and the word 'Neo' on a bar on 1st Street North.
Mitchell Fjeran, daytime manager at Mangos Beach Bar (aka Mangos 2.0), tells First Coast News that the vandalism incident happened Friday around 10 a.m.
Fjeran says he arrived at the business around 10:30 to find the spray-painted wall and a JSO victim card stuck in the door.
He says the hate messages on the side of the business were quickly painted over.
Fjeran he says it's unfortunate because that artwork has been on the building for almost a decade.
Beach goer Raphael Ambar was a witness to the ordeal. He captured a video of a person running onto the beach with Jacksonville Beach police officers trying to restrain her.
The person can be seen in an altercation with an officer before breaking free and running toward the ocean. However, the officer can be seen using his stun gun before they fall to the ground.
Ambar, and several other witnesses, say that the person who spray-painted the word 'Neo' and a swastika on the side of Mango's was the same person who ran onto the beach.
This has not been confirmed by police. First Coast News has reached out to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department for additional information about this incident. We are waiting to hear back.
(Warning: Video below shows a stun gun being used on a person. Viewer discretion advised)
Since April, Jacksonville has experienced several instances of Hate Speech against Jewish people.
An antisemitic message was displayed on the back of TIAA Bank Field during the annual Georgia-Florida game.
Jacksonville's Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted his response on Sunday morning:
"Jacksonville is a city made better because of its diversity. Those who spread messages of hate, racism and antisemitism will not be able to change the heart of this city or her people. I condemn these cowards and their cowardly messages."
Jacksonville City Council President Terrance Freeman also spoke out against the act:
"Hate has no place in our city. Jacksonville stands with our Jewish neighbors and against disgusting anti-Semitic rhetoric."
Other incidents include hateful flyers thrown in driveways and banners hung over both I-95 and I-10.