Published August 26, 2020
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Police Department is investigating several thefts of Black Lives Matter signs around town as well as two racist graffiti incidents that occurred at a Summer Street home last week.
Summer Street resident Andrea Markarian had her Black Lives Matter sign, which she placed in front of her home two weeks prior, stolen overnight on Sunday, Aug. 16. While Markarian didn’t report the sign theft immediately, she called police on Tuesday, Aug. 18 after a neighbor informed her someone spray-painted “(expletive) you BLM” on her driveway the previous night.
“That was not present the day before,” said Markarian in an interview with the Villager. “It happened Monday night. I called police and reported it as a hate crime.”
Markarian later discovered the same message spray-painted on a tree on her property, which took place overnight on Tuesday, Aug. 18. She reported that incident as a hate crime as well.
The Markarian family had another Black Lives Matter sign stolen overnight on Saturday, Aug. 22.
“Theft isn’t an acceptable course of action for one’s misery,” Markarian stated in a Lynnfield Community Group Facebook post. “You don’t have to agree with the message to agree we are above theft and vandalizing and hate.”
Markarian noted her husband was born in the Caribbean and her teenage sons are bi-racial.
“I don’t want to take it personally, but considering I live on a main street and my husband and I have no reason to hide, whoever did this may very well know who lives in the house,” said Markarian.
Markarian also called the incidents “cowardly” in an interview with Boston 25 News last week.
“It’s racist. It’s bigoted,” she said.
While the racist incidents disturbed Markarian and her family, she is incredibly appreciative of the outpouring of support her family has received from the community. She said people showed up with cleaning supplies in order to help her remove the graffiti. She also said people gave her flowers to show their support, including a decorative bush containing hearts and inspiring messages that Lynnfield for Love gave her. She said people have sent her messages of support on social media as well.
“The community has been very supportive,” said Markarian. “I have had neighbors volunteer for a neighborhood watch. The love and support we’ve received trumps the hate.”
Walnut Street resident Sara Teague said she has had Black Lives Matter signs stolen from her property on seven different occasions. She set up a camera in her front yard, which captured surveillance footage of a woman getting out of her car and stealing the sign. The town posted the woman’s image on its Facebook page last week.
“This movement isn’t about politics,” said Teague. “It’s completely different. We are going to keep putting the signs back out. Now is the time for white families to stand up and say no more to this.”
The graffiti incident that occurred at Markarian’s home is similar to racist graffiti discovered in the Pillings Pond area this past spring. Lynnfield Police have launched an investigation.
“We have had some ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘We Support Our Police’ signs stolen from private property,” said Police Chief David Breen in an email sent to the Villager. “We are actively investigating these thefts and believe criminal charges will result in at least one of these incidents.”
Board of Selectmen Chairman Chris Barrett condemned the racist incidents during an Aug. 19 meeting.
“The Board of Selectmen and town government strongly condemn these acts of theft and hateful and hurtful vandalism,” said Barrett. “As always, we condemn these vile and abhorrent acts, which completely goes against our community values of respect and tolerance, in the strongest terms. We assure our residents that the town of Lynnfield stands with all who are targeted by hate speech and racist acts, and will not tolerate this type of behavior. As a selectman, I took great pride standing with almost a thousand of my fellow Lynnfield neighbors on our historic Common, uniting together in peace and publicly rejecting discrimination and inequality in our society. I am deeply saddened by these incidents and we stand with our fellow Pioneers to reject hate in all forms.”
Barrett also thanked the Police Department and Town Administrator Rob Dolan for their quick response to the racist incidents. He said he is “confident” the perpetrator will be brought to justice.
If residents have any information about the thefts and the graffiti, they should call the Police Department at 781-334-3131.
“We will not tolerate these kinds of acts and encourage anyone with knowledge of these crimes to share the information with us,” said Breen. “We will charge anyone committing these acts to the fullest extent of the law.”