Vandals spray paint swastikas on campaign signs at Boone County GOP headquarters
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Hundreds of dollars' worth of damage was done to campaign signs outside of Boone County Republican Headquarters on Tuesday morning after multiple signs were spray painted with hate symbols.
Party officials say the incident occurred in the morning between 6:30-9 a.m. A total of 15 signs were spray painted, at least three of which included swastikas and homophobic slurs. Eight signs were also destroyed with several others stolen. Boone County COP Chair Lisa Gore estimates the vandals have done roughly $500 worth of damage to signs throughout this election cycle.
“I honestly was not surprised. I think there's been a lot of inflammatory rhetoric on both sides. And so when this happened, this is one of the things that they've been saying about Trump, is that he's a Nazi or they've been saying that he's garbage or that we're all garbage if we support Trump,” Gore said. “I felt like it was a sign that Trump is living -- or we are also living -- rent-free in the head of the person who's doing this.”
State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R- Hallsville) -- who is running for the Boone County commission northern district seat -- says there is footage from two cameras of a possible vehicle that was involved. They are working with the Columbia Police Department to try and find an angle of the vehicle's license plate.
“I'm not surprised, but people shouldn't act like this. They shouldn't do this. They shouldn't bother other people's property. If they don't like it, it's free speech. They don’t have to look at it,” Toalson Reisch said.
Gore said this is not the first time their signs have been vandalized. Earlier this month, multiple Donald Trump signs and a “Vote No On 3” sign were also spray painted with swastikas and obscenities.
“I talked to the officer who was handling that, and he said that they think it's the same person, but they aren't sure who it is yet at this point,” Gore said.
“It's happened in other parts of Columbia. We have another, second police report made this afternoon of a bunch of Josh Hawley signs and 'No on 3' signs that have been torn up and stolen and thrown in dumpsters. So, we're very upset,” Toalson Reisch said “I personally, with my own campaign, have been having signs stolen all over northern Boone County and I wish these dirty, dirty people would just stop it.”
Boone County Democrats say they do not condone the vandalism, while adding they have also dealt with property damage this election cycle. Boone County Democratic Chair Deborah Finley told ABC 17 News that they have had “between 75 to 100” signs stolen. She added that she has also seen they have had some of their signs ripped off posts and rolled up, so they could no longer be used.
“First stolen were [Lucas] Kunce. During [Mizzou's] Homecoming weekend, [Kamala] Harris, [Tim] Walz and [Crystal] Quade signs were stolen. We had people coming to HQ every day to replace their signs,” Finely said in a statement.
Gore said Boone County Republicans are offering a $500 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.
“As far as us retaliating in Boone County, there's nothing like that and we would want to deescalate any situation like that. That's not our style. I don't know what's going to happen after the election,” Gore said. “This is a pretty polarizing election, different viewpoint points... And it seems to be more emotional than any election I've ever seen in my life. So, we'll have to just wait and see what happens after Tuesday.”
