Political campaign signs supporting Democrats set on fire outside Massachusetts home
STERLING - Investigators in central Massachusetts are looking for the person who burned political signs for Democratic candidates on a front lawn.
Blaine Bershad said he was sleeping in his home in Sterling last Thursday night when someone set fire to the campaign signs in his yard.
"Signs are about free speech and when you burn them, that takes it to a whole other level," said Bershad, who is Jewish. "It reminded me of 1930s Germany. Only because this is how these kinds of tactics start."
His partner, Will Sherwood, grew up near a sundown town in Tennessee.
"Luckily in my hometown there were no cross burnings or KKK activity but when I saw the video that Tim took of these signs burning that's what flashed in my mind," he told WBZ-TV.
Harris, Warren, McGovern signs burned
Their neighbor Tim Aldridge spotted the signs burning and called 911. The signs were supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern.
"I'd rather be talking to you about issues. I'd rather be talking about health care and about housing and things that are really important to everyone instead of talking about burning signs. But terrorism, even if it's not serious terrorism, is still terrorism," Bershad said.
Sterling police are investigating. Although the flames were put out quickly, the couple believes this was most damaging for local Republicans, many of whom they consider friendly neighbors.
"We should all be alarmed"
"We really should all be alarmed. Whether it's a Trump sign stolen or a Harris-Walz stolen. It's a problem in the long run for this country. It's our job, all of our jobs to defend the commonality of America," Bershad told WBZ.
Once the couple finishes installing video cameras in their yard, they plan to place more than triple the number of signs they had before.
