Neighbor says Plainville man used confederate flag to harass family

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    PLAINVILLE, CT (WFSB) — A Plainville man was forced to take down his confederate flag after his neighbors called it a form of harassment.

Angela Chapman has been living in the Plainville neighborhood with her husband and children for the past 18 years.

She said she hasn’t had a problem up until this summer when her neighbor started using the confederate flag to get their attention.

“Just the constant intimidation, using the flag as a tool to harass us, to intimate it,” Chapman said. “Never in a million years did I think my family would be going through this.”

Police arrested 49-year-old Anthony Esposito on two occasions for breach of peace and disorderly conduct. He’s been living next door to the Chapmans for two years.

Over the summer, court documents show Esposito told the Chapmans “I don’t like black people. I don’t hear black people.”

He also told them he has connections to the “Ku-Klux-Klan.”

After facing a judge, the state claimed Esposito was using the confederate flag to intimidate and harass the family.

The Chapmans shared a photo showing the neighbor flying the confederate flag in his yard, and of the flag in the back window of his truck.

“He has parked his car where the flag is displayed right outside our driveway, so we can see it,” Chapman said.

Last month, while their 12-year-old daughter was waiting for the school bus, Chapman said Esposito was in his driveway and draped himself with a confederate flag.

Their child told police “I’m scared because I am black.”

Chapman went on to say, “other occasions where she had a friend over and he looked at them and opened up the flag, closed it and walked away.”

The Chapmans decided to put up a fence, and say they fear for their safety.

“I am extremely shocked by this. I can’t believe this is going on in the year 2019. It’s disheartening and to know we are dealing with this right now, it’s really sad,” Chapman said.

Paperwork shows Esposito can’t be outside when the 12-year-old gets dropped off and picked up by the school bus.

He also can’t display the confederate flag within 250 yards of his neighbor’s home.

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