A New Hampshire community comes together to show their support for local businesses that were vandalized with messages of hatred. When a vandal used red paint to spray swastikas and other hateful messages on multiple properties around Downtown Portsmouth, the community was quick to support the victims.
Last week, more than ten Portsmouth locales were targeted by the vandal including the Temple Israel synagogue. All of the victims were either owned or frequented by Jewish, Black, or gay people and a few days after the incident, hundreds of community members were out in force to fight the hate and show their support for their neighbors.
Several local florists donated more than a thousand flowers and an army of volunteers distributed them to the affected businesses. Joanna Kelley, owner of one of the few Black-owned businesses in Downtown Portsmouth, and the assistant mayor says it’s important to make it clear that the community chooses love over hate. This community's support definitely shows that the vandal’s hate is outnumbered in Portsmouth.
Source: CBS News