Chicago — A New York City man is holed up at the Cook County jail today, accused of causing $16,000 in damages to the Gucci store, 900 North Michigan Avenue. His defense attorney said he was participating in an anti-fascism demonstration.
Todd Fine, 42, is charged with felony criminal damage to property in connection with the incident, which unfolded around 1 p.m. Monday.
Prosecutors said he entered the luxe retailer and walked down the aisles, knocking purses and bags to the floor. He refused to leave and threatened to come back every day to break the store’s windows, Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Dale-Schmidt said. It was all caught on video.
Purses worth $16,100.01 were rendered “unable to be sold,” according to a Chicago police report.
Fine’s assistant public defender, Tressa Palcheck, said he is a Harvard University graduate who’s now studying “history and fascism” at the City University of New York. He’s been in the school’s doctorate program for seven years, she said.
Calling Fine an “activist” for the “Washington Street Advocacy Group,” Palchek explained that “this was part of a First Amendment demonstration against Gucci’s partnership with a crypto organization which has fascism ties.”
“OK, well, the First Amendment doesn’t allow individuals to damage other people’s property,” countered Judge Barbara Dawkins.
She ordered Fine to pay a $1,500 bail deposit to get out of jail and return home to New York to await trial. As of Wednesday morning, Fine has been unable to do that.