A pride-themed park Miami Beach Pride Park bench in Miami Beach became the center of a disturbing hate incident after two tourists from Germany were arrested for allegedly vandalizing it with anti-Semitic graffiti.
According to CBS News Miami, security cameras captured two men allegedly writing “Adolf was here” alongside a swastika on the bench, which sits inside the city’s Pride Park area. Authorities identified the men as Christoph Rehak and Gunther Manfred Jekschtat, both reportedly from Laubagh, Germany.
Police say the footage showed one man writing the phrase and symbol while the other allegedly acted as a lookout, attempting to block the act from public view.
Surveillance Cameras Quickly Led Detectives to the Suspects
Officials say the suspects were located through the city’s extensive camera system.
A pair of German tourists were arrested for swastika and “ADOLF was HERE” graffiti on LGBTQ bench Monday. Rehak Christoph, 58 and Gunther Jekschtat, 63, were picked up by Miami Beach Police at their hotel blocks from Lummus Park bench. @wsvn #1stOn7 pic.twitter.com/o2JZq1i0zA
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) May 19, 2026
According to Miami Beach Police Department spokesperson Officer Christopher Bess, detectives from the department’s Real Time Intelligence Center tracked the pair to their hotel shortly after the vandalism was reported.
“We have an egregious act of hate here,” Bess told CBS News Miami.
Park rangers reportedly alerted officers after discovering the anti-Semitic markings on the pride bench, which had been donated by a Miami Beach commissioner. Investigators then reviewed surveillance footage gathered from the city’s network of more than 1,000 cameras.
Surveillance video shows a swastika being drawn on a LGBTQ-themed park bench at Lummus Park near 12th St., according to Miami Beach Police, who shared the footage with #7News Monday. 4 men were detained. @wsvn #Exclusive pic.twitter.com/n0kekp2WYv
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) May 19, 2026
“We have more than 1,000 cameras citywide, and in a matter of minutes our detectives were able to track down the footage, identify the males and track them to their location,” Bess said.
The two tourists were detained for questioning at their hotel. Police say both men later confessed during interviews and were subsequently arrested.
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Police Push for Hate Crime Enhancement
The incident has drawn strong reactions from local officials and community members, particularly because the vandalism targeted a public symbol associated with LGBTQ visibility and inclusion.
“Our concern collectively is that there is no place for hate in our city,” Bess told CBS News Miami.
He also emphasized that the suspects allegedly believed they would not be caught.
“These guys thought they were not being watched,” he said. “What they did not know is our eyes in the sky were looking right at them.”
Bess added that the department hopes prosecutors will consider additional penalties.
“Our hope is that our partners at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office will assess the elements of this crime and enhance our charges to a hate crime,” he said.
At present, both men are facing first-degree misdemeanor charges.
Pride Spaces Continue to Face Targeted Acts of Hate
The vandalism comes at a time when LGBTQ spaces, Pride symbols, and public displays celebrating queer communities continue to face attacks and backlash across the United States and internationally.
Pride benches, murals, rainbow crosswalks, and LGBTQ memorial spaces have increasingly become targets for vandalism, often carrying anti-LGBTQ or extremist messaging. In this case, the use of Nazi imagery and references to Adolf Hitler added another layer of concern because of the historical links between fascism, anti-Semitism, and the persecution of LGBTQ people during the Holocaust.
The bench targeted in Miami Beach was part of a public Pride space intended to celebrate visibility, community, and inclusion in one of Florida’s best-known LGBTQ-friendly cities.
As of Tuesday afternoon, neither suspect had posted the $500 bond set for each defendant, according to the Miami-Dade Corrections website.
The investigation remains ongoing.