MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man said he was attacked by a group of teens after he confronted them about the hateful messages they’d spray-painted on a wall in Miami Beach.
The Miami Beach resident, who chose to remain anonymous, told 7News he spotted the group of teens spraying antisemitic symbols and anti-Trump messages on a wall near 1853 Meridian Ave. on Monday.
“I was a victim of a gang assault,” he said.
The good Samaritan said the vandals had also sprayed gang signs on the wall.
“When I saw them writing down antisemitic slurs on the wall, I confronted them, and that is when I got assaulted,” said the good Samaritan. “I’m shocked and deeply disturbed. This is hateful and unacceptable.”
The man said he was attacked by eight teens in that group.
“I took a punch, I took a kick, I got hit by a canteen; they jumped me,” he said.
After a few minutes, the man said, the teens took off, which gave him a chance to call for help.
“I’m not a Jewish guy, but I stand up for the Jewish community, because this is not what is supposed to happen in 2026 by a bunch of kids,” he said.
Neighbors were also upset by the messages.
“So I was coming back from dinner and saw the graffiti and, as a Jewish woman, like the swastika, of course, stands out to me,” said an area resident.
Not long after the attack, Miami Beach Police arrested a teen who, they said, was one of the aggressors in the incident.
Body camera video obtained by 7News shows the moment officers took the teen into custody.
Investigators found graffiti that included a swastika, gang-related markings and offensive language directed at public officials and federal agencies.
“We take antisemitic behavior seriously, and it’s not tolerated here,” said Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez.
Suarez said this hateful behavior is likely rooted in ignorance.
“As a society, we have to take responsibility for this and educate our young, because if they don’t understand what happened in the past, we’re doomed to repeat it in the future,” said Suarez.
Miami Beach spokesperson Christopher Bess released a statement condemning the attack that reads in part:
“The Miami Beach Police Department condemns these actions. Hate in any form will not be tolerated.”
The good Samaritan agreed with officials, telling 7News he wasn’t going to tolerate that kind of cruel behavior.
“This is something that should not happen nowadays, ever, ever,” he said. “We live across the street from the Holocaust Museum. What a better reminder we have of something so despicable.”
Authorities said the investigation into the incident is not over, as they work to identify the other individuals involved, promising each of them will be held accountable.
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