Oct 16, 2008 7:06 pm US/Eastern
Obama Campaign Signs Defaced In Harford County
FALLSTON, Md. (WJZ) ―
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The Harford County Sheriff's Department is investigating several hate crimes after signs of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama were defaced with a racist word.
The Harford County Sheriff's Department is investigating several hate crimes after signs of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama were defaced with a racist word.
Pat Warren reports an incident over the weekend, Thursday morning and a third unconfirmed report have officials believing someone is defacing Obama signs and crossing the line of politics to crime.
It takes a lot of guts but little imagination to do what someone did to John Robert's Obama signs.
There was a big 'N' printed in front of the 'O', cross out the rest of the name and add the 'N' word.
Roberts says in his experience, there are people who take politics to the extreme who don't like Democrats.
Someone threw a rock into his Kratovil for Congress sign. Couple that with a black candidate for president, and slurs are hurled.
"They've been calling me bad names for some time now, here putting the signs up. I mean terrible names. I've never had that experience before. I'm 80-years-old, you know, but I've never been called what they're calling me," said Roberts.
This isn't the only incident. This weekend, someone took down a Kratovil sign at Waterville Rd. in Fallston and replaced it with a homemade version of the same racist sentiments on John Roberts' sign.
The Sheriff's Department is investigating both as hate crimes.
"It doesn't matter who or what or where, if it's involving some kind of hate crime, we have a specific policy that we continue follow-up, relentless follow-up, until we can find somebody or something that did this," said Sgt. David Betz.
Roberts stands his ground.
"It isn't about him really. It's about them and their past. I don't think Obama has anything to do with it," said Roberts.
The Sheriff's Department has the sign and is checking it for fingerprints.
Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call the Harford County Sheriff's Office.
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