Manny Castro: Artist Behind Chick-Fil-A Torrance Vandalism Goes Free For Now

@mannycastronow

After "Tastes Like Hate" was found artfully rendered on the side of a Torrance Chick-fil-A last week, Castro came forward via the Huffington Post to take credit.

So far, however, cops, who told us Friday they were investigating the art as a vandalism crime ...

... have kept their distance from Castro.

Torrance police Sgt. Steven Jenkinson told the Weekly today that cops are aware of Castro's claim, but that "our investigators are still investigating."

The artist, who's gay, told the Post he wanted to find a way to decry the anti-gay-marriage stance of Chick-fil-A's CEO, which last week set off demonstrations for and against the chicken chain:

@sandymazza

It's paint on a wall. It got removed in less than an hour. It's not that much of a crime -- it's a protest.

Castro is no stranger to the spotlight. He was responsible for ruby slippers found hanging from utility lines from West Hollywood to Los Feliz last summer. The stunt promoted an art gallery show.

And earlier this summer he defaced a Sunset Boulevard billboard in the name of ... a chart-topping pop artist. (We received a press release on that one).

Makes you wonder if Castro is down for the cause, or just himself: Tastes like hate, or, Smells like a media stunt?

On his site he notes that the slippers stunt ...

... led up to Castro's sold out "This Hollywood Life" show. As another demonstration of his knack for getting the public's attention, he caused quite a stir with his 30-by-30 foot painting of Lady Gaga depicted as Christ draped over the Hollywood hills, which Perez Hilton called "Amazeballs" on his website. Castro is also a frequent collaborator with the chart-topping pop-duo "Karmin", which features his artwork in their music video "Brokenhearted".

Amazeballs indeed.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]