BOWDOIN — A man who had a Trump sign driven over in front of his property last week has had his new fence painted with pro-Biden graffiti.
John Pride’s fence was vandalized sometime between 9 p.m. Monday and 5 a.m. Tuesday when he discovered the graffiti.
He said a large Trump sign placed in front of his property at the corner of Route 201 and Route 125 was run over by a vehicle last week.
Someone spray-painted apparent pro-Joe Biden graffiti on a fence in Bowdoin overnight Monday near where someone ran over a large Trump sign last week. Courtesy of Peter Lewis
That sign was placed in front of his property by the campaign team for Republican Peter Lewis of Bowdoinham, who ran against and lost to Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham for the House District 55 seat.
“It’s clear that it was either someone who does not like Mr. Pride or who really does not like Republicans,” Lewis said Thursday.
Lewis is offering a $1,500 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of this vandalism and may increase it.
He is offering the same reward regarding the burning of a Democratic donkey sculpture in Bowdoinham last month. The state fire marshal’s office is leading that investigation. Efforts to obtain comment from the fire marshal’s office were unsuccessful Thursday.
Berry confirmed he decided to offer $3,000 rewards for information about the vandalism.
“This is about civility,” Berry said. “It’s about being good neighbors. It’s about respecting the personal property and in the case of the arson, the safety of others in our community.”
The election is over but Lewis said the investigations must continue and someone still needs to be held accountable for these incidents.
“It’s just disgusting to think that we live in a town where people are this contentious and divided that they will repeatedly violate an individual’s rights and cause destruction of their property to express their sentiments,” Lewis said.
Pride said Thursday he thinks it is the same person or group responsible for both cases of vandalism at his property.
“I think it’s somebody who’s very familiar with the area,” Pride said. “I think it’s disgusting. I think it’s immature.”
Pride said he spent $14,000 installing the 10-foot fence for a tenant in the adjacent home.
Chief Deputy Brett Strout with the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office said no charges have been filed and the cases remain under investigation.
Strout said the fence vandalism would likely result in a criminal mischief charge, punishable by up to 364 days incarceration and a $2,000 fine.
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