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Charges dropped against hate group member. Pro-Nazi ties never raised in Miami court

Charges have been dismissed against a member of a hate group who was arrested in Miami after riding around downtown in a van scrawled with pro-Nazi, anti-Semitic slogans.

A Miami-Dade judge — clearly unaware of the man’s affiliations with the extremist group — on Friday afternoon criticized the arrest of Joseph Bounds, who police say was filming officers who’d stopped the van, then refused to obey commands to step away from traffic. Bounds, 33, of Denver, Colorado, was jailed Thursday on charges of disobeying police orders and resisting arrest without violence.

During a brief videotaped bond court hearing on Friday, Miami-Dade County Judge Robin Faber expressed skepticism about the arrest report filed by Miami police, noting he was described as filming officers. None of the arresting documents discussed in court mentioned Bounds’ ties to the hate group or anti-Semitic slogans on the vehicle.

“They didn’t like being filmed, that’s what this smacks to me of,” Faber said during the hearing. He also winked at someone off camera, and said: “I know B.S. when I read it.”

A Miami-Dade prosecutor, Yale Sanford, then agreed to dismiss the charges, saying Bounds had no prior criminal history but also never bringing up his affiliation with the hate group.

During Friday’s hearing, Faber was chatty and almost apologetic with Bounds, asking him if he was in town on vacation. Bounds said yes.

“This is a great story for grandkids, man, but save it for when they get a little older,” Faber laughed, adding a bit later: “Enjoy the rest of your vacation if you can. We’re really not a bad place.”

A court spokeswoman could not be reached for comment. The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Bounds is part of a small virulently anti-Semitic hate group that regularly engages in stunts to harass Jewish people and has been in Florida this month.

According to a Miami police arrest report, an officer had stopped the van on Biscayne Boulevard at Northeast First Street about 3:40 p.m. when Bounds stepped out and into the middle of the street to video-record the encounter. A Miami police sergeant “gave him 3 lawful commands to step away from traffic” and he repeatedly refused, according to the report.

Their arrival in South Florida had alarmed local Jewish leaders, which circulated warnings about the group this week. The Herald is not publishing its name because the group’s goal is publicity. Last week, they were in Central Florida protesting at a Holocaust education center.

The van was also seen Wednesday in Boca Raton disrupting a pro-Israel rally, and was blamed for distributing hate pamphlets on at least one street in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood on Friday.