As you might have heard, early Wednesday morning a guy allegedly pulled a pickax out of a guitar case and went to town on Donald Trump's Hollywood star in LA, smashing it to bits before turning himself in to local police. According to the Los Angeles Times, Austin Clay, 24, was charged with felony vandalism and held on $20,000 bail. But out of the shadows, a comrade in the age-old struggle against the same stretch of sidewalk stepped in to help out his brother-in-arms, reportedly ponying up thousands in a show of remarkable solidarity.
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According to TMZ, the hero bailing Clay out is none other than James Otis—the guy who decimated Trump's star with a pickax and a sledgehammer two years ago. He's apparently planning to meet with Clay as soon as he gets out of jail, presumably so the two can discuss their shared hatred of Trump, pickax preference, and perhaps start plotting for whenever the star gets rebuilt.Wednesday's incident was all caught on video (which is actually quite soothing if you're into watching things get destroyed) before Clay turned himself into police. A witness told CBS Los Angeles she saw a man "going to town" on the patch of sidewalk at about 3:30 AM, "like it was his business just to be tearing up the ground."Clay was behind bars a few hours later, staring down $20,000 bail until Otis swooped in and rescued him. Just like Otis was back in 2016, Clay is facing up to three years in prison, but could learn a thing or two from how his new pal avoided it: plead no contest, and get slapped with probation, community service, and a fine—free to roam the streets of LA and bail out the next guy who decimates our president's Hollywood star.Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of VICE delivered to your inbox daily.Follow Drew Schwartz on Twitter.