Caught On Camera: Man Draws Swastika, Other Symbols On Tulsa Sidewalk

Surveillance video captured a man drawing what police believed is a swastika and other symbols on downtown Tulsa sidewalks. 

Several cameras from different angles at Boston Avenue and Brady Street in the Arts District show the man riding a bicycle to the intersection and drawing symbols in chalk. 

The man was identified and ticketed, Tulsa Police said. 

Police Look For Man Who Drew Racist Imagery In Downtown Tulsa 

"Swastikas, and SS, and some dollar signs,” said Cpl. Brandon Davis with the Tulsa Police Department. “It was hard to tell without a real close up view of it."

Tulsa Police say it's a misdemeanor after they connected him to other drawings on buildings downtown.

The man says what he drew was meant to convey anti-capitalism and not racism.

"We found out that there was some other locations in the area, buildings and stuff that had been affected. But you know in this case, a lot of the evidence was gone by the time we got it,” said Davis.

A city employee washed off the drawings. It happened around 5 p.m. on a Saturday evening in daylight.

"Thank you for quickly removing it because it does reflect our business, it being in the arts district here. So we don't want to be associated with that,” said Kevin Snell, Executive Chef at Amelia’s.

The wood fire cuisine restaurant has been open for two years in the Arts District, and Snell said he’s never heard of hateful graffiti in the area.

“We don’t want our customers, our coworkers to see that,” said Snell. "Absolutely not, no. They're coming here to dine and have great wine and great food and having that visual obstruction is just not what we need."

Less than a month ago, someone spray-painted the ‘N’ word outside of a fitness studio in Brookside, but Davis does not believe the cases are connected.

"You never know, without talking with people, if they have mental health issues or maybe they're just anti-government. Who knows,” said Davis. “That’s why we want to hear from him. He can call and come talk to us about what was going through his mind when he did this."