Serial Holocaust memorial vandal jailed in Austria

A homeless Austrian man who vandalized dozens of memorials to victims of the Nazis in Salzburg was on Friday sentenced to five years in jail.

The 40-year-old serial vandal, who was not named, was accused of 53 acts of vandalism including destroying a monument to euthanasia victims and of daubing black paint five times on a memorial to members of the resistance.

In addition he was accused of defacing 10 “stumbling blocks,” small brass plaques in honor of people murdered by the Nazis inserted into pavements in front of their old homes.

Prosecutors said the Austrian man also painted Nazi symbols on schools, student halls and offices of political parties between 2013 and 2015, causing damage worth 90,000 euros ($103,000).

The court in the western Austrian city found him guilty in the overwhelming majority of the incidents, court spokesman Martin Pfarrkirchner told the Austria Press Agency.

Prosecutors said they would appeal the ruling.

They said he was motived by Nazi ideology but defense lawyers said he was frustrated by his general situation and at being refused access to homeless shelters.

“He had a grudge against the state,” defense lawyer Joerg Dostal told the court.