Pro-Trump billboard on private property in California is vandalized

A prominently-placed, pro-Trump billboard on private property in San Jose, California, was vandalized on Tuesday.

What happened?

The electronic billboard, which overlooks U.S. Highway 101, runs several pollical messages, including one supporting President Trump. The text of that message is not clear.

Behind the billboard sits another prominent sign displaying the worlds “Trump 2020.” Both the billboard and the sign sit on private property owned by a Trump supporter.

According to local CBS affiliate KPIX-TV, the billboard was “riddled with holes,” and there were also reports that it had recently been egged.

It is not clear what caused the holes in the sign, but it continues to display messages despite the damage.

What were the owner's motives?

The property owner told KPIX that his motives were simple:

“This is such anti-Trump territory. We wanted to support Trump. Go Trump.”

The man who owns the sign is not under any delusions that it will change his neighborhood into Trump country. San Jose, in California’s Silicon Valley, is staunchly liberal. In 2016, it was the site of violent attacks against Trump supporters at a campaign rally.

“This is such anti-Trump territory,” the owner, who identified himself only as “Jeff” told Silicon Valley news outlet The Mercury News. He said that he did not want to give out his last name out of fear of “repercussions from anti-Trump supporters.”

What are people saying?

When KPIX reporter Christin Ayers asked a San Jose resident if he thought his sign would have much of an impact, he shook his head. “No. No way,” then he added “for eggs, it will be a nice impact.”

The man also commented that “It just shows how angry people are right now," and that "a lot of people around here don't really like Trump."

While two local tow truck drivers interviewed expressed their support for the owner of the sign, another San Jose resident seemed confused about why it was up so early. “The sign seems a little premature,” she said. “I mean, it’s not even midterms.”

The Mercury News reports that the property owner was undeterred by the vandalism.

“We may have some additional pro-Trump messages in the future,” he said. “We’ll see how things go.”