Summary
A man checked out 100 books from Beachwood Library in Beachwood, Ohio, covering Jewish history, African-American history, and LGBTQ topics, and later posted social media videos showing the books with captions referencing “cleansing” libraries before burning them.
Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative alerted the library about the posts.
The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.
Police say the matter is civil unless he fails to pay. He is now banned from returning to the library.
I mean it’s not illegal
pretty sure it’s not legal to destroy something you don’t own. The fact that he’s getting fined is a pretty clear indicator.
He’s getting fined by the library for the same amount he’d get fined for “losing” it since it’s $17 a book. That doesn’t seem like it’s illegal or that it matters.
To destroy someone else’s property?
If he hadn’t rented it they might consider calling it that but that’s a normal “oops the books gone” fine.