Watertown couple sent hate-filled letter, Pride flag torn down

WATERTOWN, Conn. (WTNH) — Watertown police are investigating after a vandal ripped out a Pride flag and political signs from a couple’s house.

Ring doorbell video shows an individual in a mask tearing a Pride flag from Chris Cole’s home.

“We got up Saturday morning, my husband brought the dog out and said, ‘Our flagpole is bent, the flags off the house, and all of our signs are gone,'” he said.

Cole said it happened at about 10:30 p.m. onFriday, hours after the couple received a letter in the mail addressed to the “current occupants” and postmarked from “Americans That Care.”

“It was a letter that was pretty filled with misogynistic, racist, homophobic, hateful language,” Cole said.

Watertown Police Chief Joshua Bernegger said officers are investigating the incidents, but right now it does not appear to be considered a hate crime.

“The letter was very politically motived,” Bernegger said. “There was no indication within the letter that it was motivated by hate or against any protected class of an individual.”

Cole said it all started about two weeks ago when someone drove up to their property, spinning their truck tires and filling the front yard with smoke. They then pulled three political signs from the lawn.

Cole said the couple has lived in the house for 14 years and never had an issue before – but now it’s concerning.

“At this point, people have come into our yard, torn things off of our house, stolen our signs,” Cole said. “It’s one thing to have a different opinion. I want to live in a society where we have different opinions, but we need to respect each other.”

Cole and his husband are responding by putting up new and more signs.

“We are much more vigilant, but we won’t be silenced,” Cole said. “We’re not going to pull the blinds and take everything down and hide.”

Bernegger told News 8 that, at this time, this is considered an isolated incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call Watertown police.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.