Several Boone business were vandalized over the weekend with graffiti.
According to the Watauga Democrat, profane statements about President Donald Trump and the words "Black Lives Matter" was tagged on multiple buildings downtown between Friday night and Saturday morning. Earth Fare, the Dan'l Boone Inn and Appalachian State's Legends were vandalized.
Boone Police Chief Dana Crawford issued a statement in a press release Saturday night:
"As Chief of Police, I assure the citizens of Boone that this case will be a priority for us. It is deeply disturbing that some people believe that they have the right to damage other people's property and businesses to express their views in an unlawful way. While people have the right to disagree with any elected official, damaging innocent people's property is not consistent with Boone values.
"The words "Black Lives Matter" was spray painted on several locations along with anti-police and anti-Trump slogans. In addition to the vandalisms reported earlier, a police vehicle parked at the town's public works facility was spray painted with similar rhetoric. This is an offense against all of Boone. The cost of cleaning or repainting a police vehicle is not coming from President Trump but Boone taxpayers.
"We are encouraging all four of the suspects who vandalized the property to contact the Boone Police Department to turn themselves in for arrest and cooperate with the investigation. If not we will release video through Crime Stoppers tomorrow. We obviously know more than we are releasing at this point to give the suspects a brief opportunity to surrender themselves. " - Chief Dana Crawford
