After hate-filled vandalism in Portsmouth, community distributes flowers to impacted businesses

PORTSMOUTH – In the wake of hateful vandalism in Portsmouth, the community is coming together in support of the victims.

Several businesses were targeted early this week by a masked man carrying a can of red spray paint. He left swastikas on Temple Israel Portsmouth, and hateful messages on other local businesses.

Friday afternoon a group of local florists donated flowers, and a huge turnout of volunteers from the community turned out to hand deliver those blooms to impacted businesses. More than 1,000 flowers were distributed in under an hour.

In all, more than ten places were targeted by the vandal. Police say all of them were either owned or frequented by Jewish, Black or gay people.

Cup of Joe is one of the few Black-owned shops in downtown Portsmouth. After the vandalism, owner Joanna Kelley told WBZ some of her employees were so frightened the vandal could return, that they kept a hammer nearby the next day.

"Thing is they think because it's a majority white area, that it's an easy foothold for them, that people are going to buy into their narrative and their hate," Kelley, who is also the assistant mayor, said.

Surveillance video from outside of a tattoo parlor that flies a pride flag captured the vandal. Police are now using that to try and track down the person responsible.