ELLERBE — Richmond County has not been spared from the political vandalism seen across the state in this tenuous election year.

Joshua Flores first contacted the Daily Journal last week to report that several campaign signs on his property off Green Lake Road had been pulled up and damaged.

“We put them up Monday and within 20 minutes of me coming in, I went back for the mail and saw them like that,” he said in messages sent Oct. 18. “We got them yesterday.”

Photos sent by Flores show signs for Republican candidates Donald Trump, Robert Pittenger, Tom McInnis, Donnie Richardson and Pat McCrory, as well as for Judge Michael Stone, ripped into pieces or balled up.

Flores said that was the fourth time the signs had been messed up, adding that an American flag had also been burned.

He sent more photos Saturday saying it had happened again.

“The Republican Party and the Republican people of Richmond (County) will not stay for this any longer,” he said in another message Sunday. “We are go to stand together and find the people that (are) taking our freedom of speech away from us.

“Now if we (were) doing it to the Democratic Party, (it would be) a sign of hate to them,” Flores added. “We as the Republican Party take this as a sign of hate and it’s going to stop. The people that are voting for Hillary Clinton (are) scared That Donald J. Trump will become the next president of these United States of america and he is (going) to make America great again. We are done and warn people that (have) been (doing) this. And this is the final straw.”

Connie Kelly, Richmond County elections director, said her office hasn’t heard any reports, but added “it becomes a police matter when you see people stealing stuff out of your yard.”

“The only thing we do is make sure (signs) aren’t put where they don’t belong on property for electioneering purposes,” she said.

Richmond County GOP Chairman Jerry Austin said he has heard of the damage and of a few reports of signs stolen in Hamlet.

“We all want a fair election, and destruction of private property should be followed through by law enforcement,” he said Sunday. “It’s not one side versus the other, it’s just what’s right.

“If someone comes up in your yard — regardless of whether its a political sign, your car or whatever — they’re trespassing…they’re performing a crime,” he continued. “It just needs to be followed through and handled in the proper way.”

Apparently it’s not just Republican signs being affected.

Lois Jones, chair of the Richmond County Democrat Party, said she’s heard reports of signs for Democratic candidates being moved from private property and the roadsides.

“Every election year, those things happen,” she said. “And it’s very unfortunate that people won’t just let the process happen without destroying other people’s property. I’m sure nobody’s for that — Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians — it’s just tragic that people are out here doing those things.”

“If you want to do something on your property, that’s your property, that’s one thing,” she said. “But when you go on other people’s property, then you’re really crossing the line.”

Jones said she thinks it will continue to happen.

“You always have some people who think with their emotions,” she said. “Instead of going out to vote, they start thinking with their emotions and start doing silly things. But we’re totally against anybody destroying anyone’s property.”

The weekend before early voting started in North Carolina, the GOP headquarters in Orange County was firebombed. A swastika and a message reading “Nazi Republicans get out of town or else” were reportedly spray painted on a nearby building.

On the other side of the state, 24-year-old Dylan Schacht was charged with calling in a bomb threat against the GOP office in Hendersonville on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

“The firebombing of a local political headquarters in Orange County is clearly an attack on our democracy,” Gov. Pat McCrory said in an Oct. 16 statement. “Violence has no place in our society – but especially in our elections. Fortunately no one was injured; however, I will use every resource as governor to assist local authorities in this investigation.”

On Oct. 19, the governor announced the state is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_Toler.

Courtesy photo Joshua Flores says this Donald Trump campaign sign — along with others for GOP candidates — on his property was ripped last week.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_trumpsign.jpgCourtesy photo Joshua Flores says this Donald Trump campaign sign — along with others for GOP candidates — on his property was ripped last week.

https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_campaignsigns.jpg

By William R. Toler

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