Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been restored after it was destroyed in a pick-ax attack last month — and according to one report, the star is getting around-the-clock protection to prevent further vandalism.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ this week that two Los Angeles Police Department officers and at least one vehicle will patrol the area around Trump’s star 24 hours a day, in what the outlet described as a “Secret Service” level of protection.
In addition, a security camera will reportedly be trained on the star at all hours, and private security guards working nearby will also keep an eye out.
In October, Trump’s Walk of Fame star was destroyed before dawn when a man dressed as a construction worker repeatedly struck it with a pick-ax.
James Otis, 53, was arrested several days later and charged with felony vandalism. He faces up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News shortly after the incident, Otis — who described himself as a “Bernie Democrat” — said he had originally planned to remove the star intact and auction it off to benefit women who have accused Trump of sexual assault.
“I was just so fed up, so saddened and fed up by Mr. Trump and how he continues to denigrate women, and he continues to joke and make fun about sexual violence and his own exploits against women,” Otis told the paper.
Trump’s star had previously been vandalized with swastikas and other graffiti.
In late October, just days before the election, a homeless woman guarding the star from would-be vandals was harassed and assaulted by a group of anti-Trump protesters.
The star later became a site for celebration after Trump won the presidential election earlier this month.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum