


The woman accused of setting a pride flag on fire outside a Manhattan restaurant sparked chaos in court Wednesday, repeatedly shouting during her first appearance before a judge.
Angelina Cando, 35, interrupted the proceeding in Manhattan Criminal Court several times as prosecutors accused her of going on a vandalizing spree over the weekend that included lighting up the flag and vandalizing two NYPD cars.
Officials said she scribbled phrases like “Jesus,” “J&A” and “suck d–k” along the Canal Street subway station before writing “Jesus is King” on the two cop cars.
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A few hours later, Cando allegedly set fire to a rainbow flag outside Little Prince NYC in SoHo. The flames broke the restaurant’s windows, burned a flower display and caused damage to the doors, Assistant District Attorney Edward Smith said in court.
Cando had appeared before a judge in the morning, but was sent to the back of the courtroom to calm down after going on a rant about her mom and step-dad.
She was later arraigned before Judge John Zhuo Wang, though she continued to ramble nonsensically during the hearing.
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Cando was arrested Monday on multiple counts of graffiti and hate crime charges for the two separate crimes, the latest in a streak for the Manhattanite.
According to Smith, Cando was charged in January “with obstructing the breathing of another person. Throwing multiple objects at him, throwing cuts and laceration.”
“False accusation. False accusation. They’re all fake,” Cando shouted in response.
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Earlier this month, Cando was hit with menacing charges for allegedly threatening employees of a pizza shop with a knife, Smith said.
“Then I called the police,” Cando interrupted, to which the judge admonished, “Ms. Cando.”
“I’m sorry your honor,” Cando said in response.
Cando’s defense attorney said she had never had run-ins with law enforcement before the three incidents and was likely suffering from “some kind of psychotic breakdown.”
Wang ordered a mental evaluation to determine whether Cando is fit to stand trial and remanded her to custody.
Following the hearing, Cando shouted: “All I did was write with a pen … Please let me free, don’t pin me down.”