Los Angelenos woke up on New Year’s Day and glanced up at the famous “Hollywood” sign and were greeted with the new message “Hollyweed.” Authorities quickly took action to correct the petty vandalism, and it appears the culprit of the stunt has surfaced on social media to take credit for his work.
Zach Fernandez, known on social media by his username “jesushands” has been taking credit for pulling off the stunt. On his social media accounts, he’s been sharing videos talking about completing his mission and wishing his followers the best.
Videos by PopCulture.com
He posted the above photo on Instagram, seemingly to take credit for the stunt. The alteration of the sign included a banner to block out a portion of an “O” that included the phrase “Jesus Hands,” so it looks plausible that he truly did pull off the task.
Authorities have yet to apprehend the suspect, and if arrested, he will face misdemeanor trespassing charges.
Although some residents of Tinseltown thought the prank was creative (see, instead of “wood,” it says “weed,” to remind people that drugs are cool), this isn’t the first time the Hollywood sign has been altered.
Back in 1976, Danny Finegood also altered the iconic sign to read “Hollyweed,” except it was more of a protest statement, as it marked a day when laws became stronger to prohibit marijuana. Finegood also once changed the sign to read “Holywood” in celebration of Easter and also modified it to read “Ollywood” to mock Lt. Col. Oliver North during the Iran-Contra hearings.
In fact, even the current Hollywood sign is a modification of the sign that was originally built, as a developer erected the massive “Hollywoodland” sign to inform residents of a planned community that was to be built in the area. The community was never built and a terrible storm wiped out the “land” on the sign, just leaving “Hollywood,” which has since been sponsored by a variety of celebrities for upkeep.
The most recent vandalization was pulled off with a series of banners and tarps, so luckily there was no permanent damage to the sign. Seemingly, the stunt was timed to the legalization of recreational marijuana use in California. Authorities say that, due to the stunt, there will be increased security for the landmark going forward.
MORE NEWS: Hollywood Sign Changed To Say Hollyweed / Miley Cyrus Weighs In On The ‘Hollyweed’ Vandalism / Kevin Smith Wraps Production On Hollyweed
