2 running for office speak out after campaign signs vandalized
By Paris Dunford
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HOLYOKE, Massachusetts (WSHM) — Two Holyoke residents running for city positions are now speaking out after their campaign signs were vandalized with racist messages.
Joshua Garcia and Israel Rivera put up campaign signs across Holyoke.
Garcia is running for city mayor and Rivera for city council at large.
Last week, they received calls from friends who said there was something written on their signs.
“It looked weird right. It had the tape on it and it had these weird borders around it. So they went and looked into it and they saw tape right against the sign behind it, the message,” said Joshua Garcia.
The message which was written on paper said, “70 percent of minorities in Holyoke live rent free, get free food, get free medical.” It also said, “look at the number of people who live in this city and what race was forced to leave.”
The message was written on both Garcia and Rivera’s signs.
Rivera believes the messages were racially motivated.
“The person really thought about why they picked these signs and who it was because you could’ve picked any signs out there, and you particularly chose these two signs, possibly for a reason,” said city council candidate Israel Rivera.
Both men say they weren’t surprised by what happened, saying they’ve experienced racism in the city of Holyoke their whole lives.
“It was expected. Growing up in the city of Holyoke and anywhere in the region, often times when you’re a minority navigating the world, there’s a little bit of it all the time,” said Garcia.
Both Rivera and Garcia say they are running for office to help put an end to racism in their hometown. Their goal is to prove the statements written on their campaign signs aren’t true.
“We pay our dues too. So, whatever you’re saying in your sign is a contradiction to what we stand for,” said Rivera.
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