Trump sign raises eyebrows, and ire
A member of the Democratic Town Committee said he is facing backlash because the name “Trump,” has been spray-painted on a fence next door.
Meanwhile, Bob Cerretani — the owner of the fence — said he does not know who painted the president’s name, but said, “I like it.”
Benjamin Markus said he noticed the name, spraypainted in red, last Tuesday at the corner of Locust Avenue and Summer Street.
“I came in (that day) and pulled in the garbage cans and that was there,” he said.
The angle of the fence, Markus said, makes people assume he wrote it.
“I am out putting up the Christmas decorations and people are stopping me and harassing me, saying such things as: ‘How could I defile the town like this?’ ” he said.
“They are blaming me for that because of the angle it is facing,” Markus said. “They think it is mine. People are throwing middle fingers up at me.”
Cerretani, said he was also surprised by the sign and does not know who painted it, but he has not filed a police report and has no plans to paint over it.
New Canaan Police Lt. Jason Ferraro said he was “not aware of this incident” when asked if any complaints had been filed with the department.
“This is the U.S. isn’t it? It’s not a socialist country,” Cerretani said, defending his right to leave the sign.
Markus, whose family moved two years ago to New Canaan from the Bronx, N.Y., is renting his house and is in the process of buying it.
“We love this community,” he said.
Cerretani said his grandparents lived in his house starting in 1937. Much of the neighborhood was owned by his relatives at one time, including the house where Markus lives.
Markus moved into the home with his wife and 2-year-old son last year.
The two men have different political views. Markus had signs for President-elect Joe Biden in his yard prior to the election.
“We are big into politics. We had our signs. But after the election, everything disappeared — it was fine,” he said.
Markus said he has an issue with the timing of the “Trump” marker because it’s customary in New Canaan that political parties “pull signs right up,” after the polls close.
“The election is not over yet,” said Cerretani, who supports President Donald J. Trump and does not feel it was a fair election.
When Cerretani went to vote, there were “30 signs saying Biden and none for Trump,” he said. “It shows what this town is becoming: very liberal. Not when I grew up.”
“I respect everyone. We respect everyone as long as your political ideology doesn’t infringe on the health and safety of others,” Markus said.
Markus doesn’t want to take the abuse this sign is causing. He said people have told him, “‘I should be ashamed of myself,” and hurled profanities at him.
“Everybody needs to agree to disagree,” Markus said.
Markus has checked with landlords and town officials to get help to have the red letters removed.
“That little plot of land in front of it is not our property. I checked with our landlord,” he said.
“The landlord complained to the town. I called the cops. The cops said unless I have a video of people harassing me, there nothing they can do,” Markus said.
“That is not the foundation of what New Canaan is,” he said.