A man familiar to Key West residents for his protest signs denouncing homosexuality was arrested at the Holiday Parade Saturday, accused of kicking a woman while he was holding a sign that read, "Santa is taking your child to hell."

Anthony Charles Capo Jr., 54, of Key West, was charged with one misdemeanor count of touching or striking with intent to cause injury. He remains in the Monroe County jail on Stock Island on $2,500 bond.

Police intervened during an altercation between Capo and a woman who was singing Christmas carols as she followed him near Eaton and Duval streets, reports say. Capo was holding signs that said, "God hates you," "Pagan idol," and another sign that used an offensive term for homosexuals, reports say. Capo allegedly turned around and called the woman a foul name when police separated the two.

As the officer was leaving, he heard a commotion behind him and found Capo in another argument with a different woman, reports say. Capo claimed the second woman tried to trip him, but witnesses reportedly told the officer that Capo kicked the woman unprovoked.

The woman was not injured, but she said she wanted to press charges, so Capo was taken to jail, reports say.

The incident marks the fifth altercation involving Capo this year.

In February two men attacked him and then fled through nearby softball fields as Key West police approached. In that incident, Capo suffered a broken nose and cuts to his face. Capo told police the same men attacked him the day before as he carried his signs near the intersection at Kennedy Drive and North Roosevelt Boulevard. A 20-year-old Marathon man later was arrested and charged with battery in connection with both incidents.

Two months later Capo told police he was shot twice in the stomach with a pellet gun by a man in a car. That alleged attack also occurred as Capo was protesting near Eaton and Duval streets. No arrests were made in that case.

Two weeks later, on April 23, Capo claimed a Citizen newspaper hawker slapped him in the face, knocking off his sunglasses, while both were standing near the intersection of North and South Roosevelt boulevards at the entrance into Key West, reports say.

Capo declined to press charges in that case.

alinhardt@keysnews.com