Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star vandalized - Action News
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Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star vandalized

Police are investigating an incident early Wednesday that saw a man dressed as a city worker take a pickaxe to Trump's plaque on a famed Hollywood tourist attraction.

Man claiming responsibility says he wanted to remove it for sex assault victims

Pedestrians walk past a cordoned off area surrounding the vandalized star for Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Wednesday, in Los Angeles. Police arrested Jamie Otis on suspicion of felony vandalism Thursday. (Richard Vogel/AP Photo)

Los Angeles police are investigating the vandalizing of Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Trump listens to speeches after he was honoured with the 2327th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)

Det. Meghan Aguilar says investigators were called to the scene before dawn Wednesday following reports that the u.s. presidential candidate's star was destroyed by blows from a pickaxe.

A man who identified himself as Jamie Otis says he's responsible for the damage. Otis tells Deadline Hollywood that he originally intended to remove Trump's star. He says he wanted to auction it off to raise funds for the 11 women accusing the presidential candidate of groping them. Trump has denied the groping allegations.

A video posted on Deadline's websiteappears to show the star being damagedby a man dressed as a city construction worker. A sledgehammer is seenleaning against a sign near the man as heswings a pickaxe, striking the plaque.

Aguilarsays she's aware of the Deadline report but couldn't comment on whether Otis is a suspect.

Repairs underway

The group that oversees the Hollywood Walk of Fame says it's working to quickly repair the damage.

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce PresidentLeronGublersays it will take several days for the fixes to be completed.

It's not the first time Trump's monument on the populartourist boulevard has been the focus of political protest.

In July, a Los Angelesartist built a miniature border wall around the sidewalk plaque in a display of mockery. The 15-centimetre-tallstructurewas complete with barbed wire, "Keep out" signs, and American flags.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame star of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is surrounded by a miniature wall topped by barbed wire, placed there by Californian street artist Plastic Jesus in Hollywood on July 20. (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump's star was first dedicated in 2007 in recognition of his work on NBC's reality TV show The Apprentice.

With files from CBC News