Angelina Cando, the 35-year-old woman accused of lighting a rainbow pride flag outside a Manhattan restaurant on fire, was booted from court on Wednesday for repeated shouts claiming innocence.
As the New York Post reported, Cando was arrested on Monday for allegedly scrawling “Jesus,” “J&A” and “suck d*ck” along the Canal Street subway station, and then scribbled “Jesus is King” on two NYPD squad cars before setting the flag hanging outside the Little Prince NYC restaurant.
According to Assistant District Attorney Edward Smith, the fire caused damage to the windows, doors, and floral display.
During her first appearance before a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court, Cando interjected on several occasions as prosecutors went over her alleged vandalization and arson. She had originally appeared before a judge in the morning, but was sent out after ranting “about mom and stepdad,” according to the outlet.
Later in the day, she was arraigned before Judge John Zhuo Wang on graffiti and hate crime charges, but she did not let up on the outbursts. As the Post reported, “she continued to ramble nonsensically during the hearing.”
According to the assistant district attorney, Cando is also under investigation for another crime, with her being charged in January “with obstructing the breathing of another person. Throwing multiple objects at him, throwing cuts and laceration.”
Cando interrupted, yelling “False accusation. False accusation. They're all fake!”
Smith said that the suspected arsonist was also slammed with menacing charges earlier this month for allegedly threatening employees of a pizza shop with a knife.
“Then I called the police,” the suspect interjected.
Twitter users complained that after being arrested for both of those prior incidents, Cando was let out on bail.
“Great job New York leadership. You enabled this, this is on you. This woman Angelina Cando should been held on bail and punished for her earlier crimes. People could have died due to this woman’s hate and obvious mental struggles. Nice Brand you got going over there @NYCMayor,” one upset tweeter wrote.
According to Cando's attorney, her client never had any run-ins with the law before the three recent incidents, and may be going through “some kind of psychotic breakdown.”
Judge Wang decided that Cando needs to undergo a mental evaluation before she stands trial. At the end of the hearing, he remanded her without bail.
Afterwards, Cando yelled again: “All I did was write with a pen… Please let me free, don't pin me down.”
