MAN ARRESTED IN RELATION TO MURAL, SYNAGOGUE VANDALISM
CHICO >> The Chico Police Department has made an arrest in relation to two instances of vandalism believed to be hate crimes.
Thomas David Bona, who has been arrested and convicted of similar crimes in the past, was arrested Friday after a synagogue and a mural in Chico were vandalized.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Bona was arrested on suspicion of hate crimes, vandalism and arson at around 1 p.m. Friday.
The mural’s artist, Shane Grammer, reported the damage Thursday which consisted of swastikas and a fire beneath the mural.
On Wednesday, the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue was vandalized with its sign burned and swastikas drawn next to the damage.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge Advocate and Mechoopda Tribal citizen Ali Meders-Knight said she received word from the Chico Police Department on Friday that Bona had been arrested.
“As a community, we need to discuss what to do when we have somebody like this,” Meders-Knight said. “There is no accountability. Where do we stand when this keeps happening?”
Meders-Knight said Bona has defaced murals in the past but has been determined to have mental health issues and has been released on multiple occasions.
“They’re not oblivious to what they’re doing and who they’re targeting,” Meders-Knight said. “They need to be held accountable.”
According to the Butte County Superior Court records, Bona has been through the court system several times since 2006. In 2020, Bona pleaded no contest to felony vandalism with a hate crime allegation. He was sentenced to six years in state prison but was released after three because he had credit for time served.
Todd White, owner of WeServ and the building on which the mural is painted, said he was frustrated with the vandalism on the mural.
“I am angry at the racism in the whole country right now and here it’s just ridiculous,” White said. “It’s causing so much grief for people. People come and take pictures here. Native families come and take pictures all the time and it’s just bad.”
Grammer, the artist, said he was shocked and heartbroken to discover that someone had defaced the mural, which was meant to raise awareness of indigenous women who went missing and were murdered.
“It’s tough,” Grammer said. “I did that mural with
the community and worked with both the Mechoopda tribe from Chico and the Pomo Nation that day and it turned into a community project. The thought of someone doing that to a mural that brings awareness, you’ve got to be kind of crazy I would think. It just blew me away that it happened.”
The Chico Police Department issued a press release at 3 p.m. Friday confirming the arrest of Bona.
According to the release, Bona has been tied to both incidents of vandalism this week and was booked into the Butte County Jail with the requested charges of hate crimes, arson, vandalism and violation of the terms of post-release community supervision.
In response to the arrest, Spiritual Leader Lisa Rappaport of Congregation Beth Israel, the synagogue
that was targeted Wednesday, said there was a sense of relief.
“We’re about to head into Shabbat which is our holy time on the calendar to take a day and rest in peace,” Rappaport said. “So it does feel really good to get some sense of closure and information on the kind of individual that did this. It will be good to have that closure because there were so many question marks for us.”
Rappaport thanked the Police Department for its aid following the incident.
“We appreciate the swift work of the Chico P.D. and the supportive outpouring of love and concern both from the Jewish community and beyond. It has felt very strengthening for us and comforting. I hope that we all continue to do that whenever there is an act of hate anywhere that we all stand up and say no.”