Police seek vandal who sprayed Gilford overpass with anti-Trump, anti-ICE graffiti

GILFORD — Anti-Trump graffiti was discovered on the Morrill Street Bridge Wednesday, spray-painted messages in red like “End ICE” and “Kill Trump” visible to anyone traveling northbound on the Laconia-Gilford Bypass underneath.

Town staff, including from the police and public works departments, worked quickly to cover the offensive messages near mile marker 77.6.

When The Laconia Daily Sun contacted public works around 2 p.m., staff had just sent someone to the bridge to spray paint over the graffiti.

“We try to cover everything inappropriate right away,” said Meghan Theriault, director of Gilford public works. “You wish you didn’t get those calls, but kids do dumb things all the time.”

Police currently have not identified any suspect or suspects, said Deputy Chief Dustin Parent.

“We have no leads as to who committed this vandalism,” he said Wednesday. “The local DPW department is going to go out and cover it up. We are on the same page that having profanity at that location is bad for kids and the community, and we don’t condone it. Also, there’s the threat to human life.”

Parent said workers from the state Department of Transportation would paint the area of graffiti again on Friday.

Angelo Farruggia, owner of Fire N’ Stone in Tilton, became aware of the graffiti from a passing motorist while traveling the route he’s taken “many times.” The messages made him want to take action, and he notified both police and the press.

“It’s just really unacceptable no matter who's doing it, no matter what side of the aisle. Enough is enough,” Farruggia said in a phone call. “It doesn’t matter what words they are putting out there, it doesn’t belong there to begin with.”

By reporting to the proper authorities, it sends a message people are standing up for themselves, and not allowing this kind of behavior to win, he said.

“It’s super cliche, but we are truly all in this together. This is where we live.”

This is an open investigation and information about the vandalism can be shared with Gilford Patrol Officer Angelo Papadopoulos at 603-527-4737 or a.papadopoulos@gilfordpd.gov.