ATTLEBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux is looking for answers after a number of stickers with anti-gay messages were found scattered around the city’s downtown on Saturday.
“It’s very disappointing that we would see this here in Attleboro,” Heroux said. “We’re a very inclusive community. It’s a very diverse community. It’s something that we don’t want to see here.”
One of the homophobic stickers was photographed and posted on Facebook, prompting a police investigation.
About five stickers were placed on various pieces of public property, according to Heroux. One was stuck on a traffic control box outside Ghalib Aziz’s business.
“That’s very negative energy to be surrounded by,” Aziz said. “I just hope people can think a little bit more positive.”
Police are removing the stickers as they find them. They’re also working to track down surveillance recordings in the hopes of capturing the culprit.
Heroux is vowing to charge the person responsible.
“We can’t charge them with a hate crime because there is no victim,” he said. “While hate speech is not a crime, vandalism, destruction of public property and graffiti is a crime.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Attleboro Police Department.
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