Trump supporter who vandalized LGBT memorial cries in court as his father expresses disappointment

A Trump supporter who intentionally defaced a Pride mural that was painted on a crosswalk in Delray Beach, Florida, was ordered this Thursday to return to court on June 8 to learn his fate, but in the meantime, he was given a homework assignment, The Palm Beach Post reports.

Alexander Jerich, 20, can be seen in a video using his truck to create skid marks on the mural while he was participating in a vehicle caravan that was celebrating the birthday of former President Donald Trump on June 14, 2021.

He surrendered to police last year after the video of the incident went viral. In March, he pleaded guilty to criminal mischief over $1,000 and to reckless driving..

This week, Jerich hung his head and cried in court after hearing his father talk about his son’s struggles in school and his inability to make friends. Jerrich then apologized for his actions.

“I’ve had problems in the past with fitting in,” Jerich said. “I was just trying to fit in and be accepted.”

On Thursday, Circuit Judge Scott Suskauer told Jerich to write a 25-page essay on the 2016 massacre at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando while he awaits his sentence.

“I want your own brief summary of why people are so hateful and why people lash out against the gay community,” he told Jerrich.

Suskauer also said he had little desire to turn Jerich into a convicted felon for making a dumb decision and he plans to withhold adjudication on the charge of criminal mischief. He also wants Jerich to perform community service for an organization that serves the LGBTQ community.

But Rand Hoch, president of the Human Rights Council, told Suskauer that none of the groups he deals with want Jerich around.

“They don’t want the defendant anywhere near our organization or our missions,” Hoch said.