Political Signs Defaced In Madison
Several Residents Report Incidents
Updated: 2:27 pm CDT October 13, 2008
MADISON, Wis. -- Some residents on the city's East Side woke up Sunday to find their political yard signs defaced.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportSwear words were scrawled across the windows of at least one resident's home, and others in the area reported stolen yard signs, leaflets being left in yards and bumper stickers for the opposing candidate plastered across pumpkins, WISC-TV reported.Common Council member Judy Compton, who serves the 16th district, said she started getting phone calls reporting several incidents that sounded similar early Sunday morning.Just down the street from her home, someone wrote in red across John McCain's name on a yard sign."It's a very sad day when we can't have a presidential election and have people be responsible, professional adults, whether you're 15, 19, or you're 65," Compton said.In the Richmond Hill subdivision, one victim of the vandalism, who did not want to be identified, now has a sign in his yard explaining to passerby what happened and a Webcam in his window to use for evidence if the vandals return."It's really pathetic that people would try and suppress people's First Amendment rights on either side of the aisle. We need more dialogue, not more hate," the victim said.He said he doesn't know why he was targeted, but that it doesn't matter and that such incidents shouldn't happen.Several of the victims have reported the incidents to Madison police.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportSwear words were scrawled across the windows of at least one resident's home, and others in the area reported stolen yard signs, leaflets being left in yards and bumper stickers for the opposing candidate plastered across pumpkins, WISC-TV reported.Common Council member Judy Compton, who serves the 16th district, said she started getting phone calls reporting several incidents that sounded similar early Sunday morning.Just down the street from her home, someone wrote in red across John McCain's name on a yard sign."It's a very sad day when we can't have a presidential election and have people be responsible, professional adults, whether you're 15, 19, or you're 65," Compton said.In the Richmond Hill subdivision, one victim of the vandalism, who did not want to be identified, now has a sign in his yard explaining to passerby what happened and a Webcam in his window to use for evidence if the vandals return."It's really pathetic that people would try and suppress people's First Amendment rights on either side of the aisle. We need more dialogue, not more hate," the victim said.He said he doesn't know why he was targeted, but that it doesn't matter and that such incidents shouldn't happen.Several of the victims have reported the incidents to Madison police.Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
