Man charged in connection with property damage during West Hartford rally over Israel-Hamas war

A West Haven man was charged in connection with property damage that took place during a January rally in West Hartford over the war between Israel and Hamas.

On Jan. 21 around 12:30 p.m., approximately 150 people gathered at the West Hartford Town Hall at 50 South Main St. for the rally, according to the West Hartford Police Department.

The protestors marched throughout Blue Back Square and West Hartford Center. At one point, police said, the protestors allegedly posted signs on the exterior of the businesses at 65 LaSalle Road.

After the rally, officers learned that unidentified protestors vandalized the exterior of the building with red paint, according to police.

As a result of the investigation, the West Hartford Police Department Detective Division identified a suspect as 24-year-old Hicham Talal, police said.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Talal from Hartford Criminal Court, according to police.

Talal turned himself in at the West Hartford Police Department on Monday and was charged with third-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias and second-degree criminal mischief.

He was released on a $50,000 court-set cash or surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Criminal Court on March 7, police said.

The investigation is ongoing, police said, and detectives are still attempting to identify the female person of interest depicted in a photo released to the public on Feb. 8.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the West Hartford Police Department at 860-523-5203 or use the WHPD tip line at 860-570-8969 or by email at whpdtips@westhartfordct.gov.