Student Charged After Being Caught on Surveillance Damaging U of Illinois Menorah

A 20-year-old college student has been charged with a felony and is accused of damaging a 9-foot menorah at the Jewish center on the University of Illinois campus.

Parkland College student Max Kristy of Champaign was arraigned Tuesday. The Champaign News-Gazette reports an anonymous caller identified Kristy after surveillance video of the Aug. 19 incident was distributed.

University of Illinois police say Kristy told them during an interview that he planned to take the menorah to a Jewish friend. UI police say the damage hasn't been classified as a hate crime.

Kristy waived his rights to a preliminary hearing. He is represented by Rantoul attorney Craig Hunt and is due in court Nov. 3.

Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel of the Illini Chabad Jewish Center says people "feel hurt about what happened."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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