WATERVILLE — A city resident who says his political signs supporting Donald Trump for president were unjustly removed from a public right-of-way near Colby College was later warned by police for trespassing.
Todd Michaud wrote in a Facebook message to the Morning Sentinel that he had put up signs in support of Trump on the right-of-ways around the Colby College campus on Saturday. Michaud noticed the signs were missing Sunday around 12:30 p.m., according to the Waterville Police Department.
Apparently reasoning that the college had removed the signs from the right-of-way — which is at the intersection of Armstrong Road and Washington Street — Michaud went to Colby College security to ask for his signs back.
Things got “a little heated,” said Colby College spokeswoman Kate Carlisle, so security officials called Waterville police.
Colby College told police they didn’t remove Michaud’s signs, and police couldn’t find any of Michaud’s signs either.
“He gave Colby security a pretty hard time,” said Deputy Chief Bill Bonney of the Waterville Police Department, adding that Michaud was reportedly “aggressive” with security staff.
Michaud, who can be seen on his Facebook page posing beside a large “Hillary for Prison 2016” sign on a trailer, returned a call requesting comment but was unable to provide one on Monday.
Waterville police issued a criminal trespassing notice to Michaud and warned him not to return to Colby College. The notice was given because of the way he treated the security officers, Bonney said, not because he put up signs.
Police also took a theft report from Michaud regarding his missing signs. A person convicted of stealing a political sign can face a fine of up to $250.
Maine law regulates how and where such signs can be placed. Any non-commercial signs, which include political signs, are allowed to stay in public right-of-ways for six weeks, according to Ted Talbot, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Transportation.
Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239
mstamour@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @madelinestamour
Send questions/comments to the editors.
