A 77-year-old Vietnam War veteran is “not going to be intimidated” by thugs who spray painted a swastika on his front door, and stole an American flag from his yard.
The vandals first targeted Thomas Roszkowski, of Silver Spring, Maryland, late last month when they stole his Trump/Pence sign out of his front lawn.
“First they stole my sign, then I got a bigger sign,” Roszkowski said.
On Sunday, while taking his wife to church, Roszkowski was greeted with another surprise – a large red swastika spray-painted on his glass storm door. The American flag that waived from his front tree is also missing.
Police are now investigating the “hate-based” vandalism on Roszkowski’s home across the street from Blair High School, as well as prior incidents at the residence, the Silver Spring Patch reports.
“Detectives also confirmed that on November 16, the homeowner reported to (Montgomery County Police) that unknown suspect(s) had thrown eggs at his home,” according to a police statement.
“Detectives believe the homeowner’s political affiliation may be the motive for these thefts and vandalisms.”
The county is offering a $10,000 reward for tips that lead to the arrest of the suspects in the case, WTOP reports.
“I’m not going to be intimidated by this BS,” Roszkowski told the news site. “And that’s all this is. It’s just anarchy.”
Locals sounded off about the incidents online.
“This is the home of childhood friends,” Anne Marie Cribbin posted to Facebook. “I am so saddened by this … especially hearing this news after attending a rally for peace and unity in downtown Silver Spring today. We are neighbors and community members first. Politics shouldn’t negate that.”
“It does call into question all the other swastikas that have been reported across the country,” Debi Haworth-Ewert wrote. “Wonder how many of those were done by the tantrum tossers?”
“Man, if you don’t like how this guy voted, you gotta speak to him personally or at least publicly. This anonymous vandalism is cowardly,” Tim Clair posted. “I supported Hillary, but not the scardy-cat humps who did this. This does no good for anybody.”
Local Matt Lawrence also pointed out the difference in news coverage for vandalism targeted Trump versus Hillary supporters.
“Anyone else notice when someone made pro-Trump vandalism, WTOP ran a two page long story detailing the travesty. Interviewed half the town. Statements from every branch of local, county, and state government. Then continued to bring it up twice a day for the entire week,” he wrote.
“Someone that’s against Trump commits an identical hate crime, and we get this,” Lawrence said of the site’s very brief coverage.
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