Vandals burn billboard that shows MLK hugging Bin Laden

CLEVELAND, OHIO - Someone set fire to a billboard on Friday that depicted The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with his arm around Osama bin Laden. <br> <br> The billboard drew the ire of many community groups and was set on fire early Friday morning, police said. <br> <br> Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, said the billboard&#39;s owner had been using the sign to poke fun and make derogatory messages toward minority candidates and officials for many years. <br> <br> Tubbs Jones and other community leaders planned to protest against the billboard Friday but canceled it. They now want to do it next week. <br> <br> ``This person has been perpetuating the message of hatred against minorities through this billboard for many years and we want to send a message to him and to those who condone these actions,&#39;&#39; Tubbs Jones said in a statement. <br> <br> Nancy Sysack, who owns the billboard, said she and her brother put the message up to protest against celebrating the MLK holiday and to say that King associated with questionable groups. <br> <br> She said they have been putting up political messages for 30 years. <br> <br> ``We target everybody,&#39;&#39; she said Friday. ``We&#39;re an equal opportunity annoyer.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> She said the fire damaged much of the billboard and will cost her sign making company several thousand dollars. <br> <br> Tubbs Jones&#39; office said it didn&#39;t know who set the sign on fire. <br> <br> ``We weren&#39;t trying to get somebody to burn it down,&#39;&#39; said Nicole Williams, a spokeswoman for the congresswoman.

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