Gilroy
– Someone is stealing and vandalizing political signs in
Gilroy.
Residents have had signs promoting George W. Bush and Dick
Cheney taken off their front lawns, and this weekend, several
larger signs were slashed or covered with mud.
Gilroy – Someone is stealing and vandalizing political signs in Gilroy.
Residents have had signs promoting George W. Bush and Dick Cheney taken off their front lawns, and this weekend, several larger signs were slashed or covered with mud.
The vandalism was reported to Gilroy police Monday morning by Mark Zappa, co-chair of Bush/Cheney ’04 for South Santa Clara County.
“My feeling is that it’s a sad commentary that we can’t have our free speech and have it respected,” Zappa said, “and these people have to turn to anarchy.”
Zappa said the Republican headquarters in Gilroy is “constantly” replacing signs that disappear from residents’ front yards.
On Saturday, he posted several larger signs around town, renting space over real estate signs.
“I expected some stuff would be done, but it was almost immediate,” Zappa said.
By Sunday, a couple signs in South Gilroy had other signs pasted on top of them, which Zappa removed.
But by Monday, the vandalism was more severe, with the signs at Santa Teresa Boulevard and Luchessa Avenue slashed.
Gilroy police are investigating the incidents.
The parties responsible for the signs’ destruction can be arrested for vandalism and petty theft, police said.
According to the district attorney’s office, the suspects also can face a charge of trespassing, for entering someone else’s property to steal a sign. If convicted, the thieves or vandals would then face fines and jail time up to one year.
Zappa said in 10 years of promoting political candidates he has never seen such “an amazing amount of violence” coming from the opposition.
He estimated the large signs were worth $120 each, but said they were posted on top of hand-painted real estate advertisements.
“I don’t even know how bad the damage is, we won’t know until we take the signs down,” he said.
Gilroy’s Bush/Cheney headquarters, located at 1230 First St. #201, is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 1pm to 4pm, and Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am to 11am.
