FRESNO, Calif. (NewsNation Now) — A large political display burned to the ground in Dinuba for the second time in less than two weeks.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said arsonists set fire to haystacks displaying pro-President Donald Trump and Devin Nunes signs.
The man behind the signs, Jon Dolieslager, is now rebuilding and said he’s not sure who would do this.
“I have no idea, but it’s pretty obvious that they’re not happy,” he said.
Around Labor Day, Dolieslager said he put the signs up on his property at the corner of Avenue 384 and Road 80.
“Within a few weeks we were spray painted, we were knifed up, we were torn up, tore down,” he said.
Then it went further. The stack was torched, rebuilt, and torched again. About $10,000 worth of hay was destroyed. But Dolieslager said community members like Scott Belknap and Jimi Valov have been quick to help.
“I just wanted to make a difference. And I know how he feels. He had to be heartbroken and he was out of hay too. So there’s one way to fix this, we’ll use steel,” Valov said.
Valov supplied giant shipping containers, so the display would be bigger and stronger.
Dolieslager said everyone should be able to share their views, and he’s hoping the destruction stops.
“It’s a free county, that’s what we’re trying to say. We don’t care which side you’re on, you’re able to express your opinion without violence,” he said.
Both incidents are still under investigation.
In Massachusetts, Dalton police arrested Lonnie Durfee, 49, of Dalton after he allegedly burned a hay bale display showing support for the Biden/Harris presidential campaign.
The Dalton Police Department and the Dalton Fire Department responded to a reported fire on Friday just before 7 p.m. along Route 9 across from the Holiday Brook Farm.
Police said the owners of Holiday Brook Farm had recently painted the outer plastic wrap of hay bales to show support for the Biden/Harris presidential campaign. However, the hay bales were reportedly lit on fire and destroyed.
A police investigation resulted in the arrest of Durfee. He was charged with Burning Personal Property and will be arraigned at a later date in Berkshire District Court.
The investigation is ongoing in conjunction with the Dalton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Fire Marshall’s Office.
NewsNation affiliates KGPE and WTEN contributed to this report.
