San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo's house was vandalized following protests late Friday, but the mayor's neighbors quickly banded together to help clean up the property.
Mayor Liccardo tweeted about the incident Saturday morning, saying that he was "tremendously heartened" by the actions of his neighbors, many of whom have
Black Lives Matter signs posted in front of their own homes.
I’m tremendously heartened by the response of my neighbors who helped scrub graffiti from Jessica’s & my home late last night. Many of these same neighbors’ homes bear #BlackLivesMatter signs—representing the true spirit of the movement, & of our San José community. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/2fpPcBZjQR
— Sam Liccardo (@sliccardo)
August 29, 2020 Witnesses told KPIX-5 that someone spray painted the front of the mayor’s house, which had a Black Lives Matter sign in the window, with phrases that included "BLM" and "Jacob Blake," along with profanities. The earlier, peaceful protests in the city were a call for social justice, in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin last weekend.
KPIX-5 reported that Mayor Liccardo said he was away visiting a relative at the time of the incident, but the vandalism does not detract from his support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mayor Liccardo emphasized the difference between his neighbors and the other "so-called protesters," who stood by and watched the destruction.
They sharply contrast with the roughly hundred so-called “protesters” who stood by silently—or even cheered—while flags were burned and “f*** you” was scrawled on our home. pic.twitter.com/VLsKZBSWJZ
— Sam Liccardo (@sliccardo)
August 29, 2020 The mayor told KPIX-5 that it would be up to the district attorney and police to decide whether to prosecute anyone for the vandalism.
