Serial Trump sign damage in Sanbornton ‘feels like a violation’

SANBORNTON — For the fifth time this summer, Jim and Wendy Mayotte have placed signs on their property proclaiming, “Trump, Pence, Keep America Great!”

Four times the signs were pulled down, destroyed or stolen.

Police Chief Stephen Hankard, whose officers are investigating, said it’s unfortunate that someone would damage candidate signs, but it seems to happen every campaign season to people on both sides of the political spectrum.

“It seems to be equal opportunity,” he said. “We don’t see it as a party thing.”

He said he’s also heard of a Black Lives Matter sign being vandalized in the area.

Signs that are most vulnerable are those that are a distance from homes. The Mayottes have a long driveway, and their sign is near where it intersects with the road. Neighbors didn’t see anything and the couple thinks the vandalism is taking place in the middle of the night.

Wendy Mayotte said the first sign that was taken down was a large banner strung between two trees with fishing line. With the help of friends, they put it back up, using wood to provide support. Someone knocked it down again. Once it was replaced, someone stole it. The Mayottes got some lawn signs. Those disappeared, too.

Now, four Trump signs have been plastered to plywood and hung from a tree branch.

Mayotte said the whole thing is aggravating, mean-spirited, threatening and feels like a violation.

“You get concerned,” she said. “Is it someone who's angry?

“It’s very disheartening because we love Trump and we want to convey that. It’s our property and we’re not hurting anybody. It’s someone who is a liberal, obviously.”

She said they’ve displayed political signs in the past without any problems, although nothing as big as the banner.

“There is a lot of anger, a lot of hatred for President Trump,” Mayotte said. “This election for president is very volatile.”

Sanbornton resident Brian Gallagher read about the vandalism in a letter to the editor written by Jim Mayotte. He decided to help the couple get new signs.

“It doesn’t matter whose sign it is,” Gallagher said. “It’s wrong for anyone to go on someone's private property and violate their right to free speech.

“The folks I travel with wouldn't do that to an opposition candidate.

“They have been impacted multiple times and this has gone to a new level of injustice. This isn't about trying to push a Trump agenda, it's about what's right or wrong.”

Almost two months ago, a number of Black Lives Matter signs were pulled down in Gilford. This led to a social media firestorm and a protest march in the Gilford Village area, where many people posted their own Black Lives Matter signs in solidarity with the young woman whose signs were stolen.

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To contact Rick Green, send him an email at

rick@laconiadailysun.com.