Billboard for mayoral candidate Jerry Dyer targeted by vandal
A downtown Fresno billboard pushing for the election of mayoral candidate Jerry Dyer was briefly vandalized Monday, an act that was condemned by his opponent.
The billboard on Divisadero Street near Van Ness Avenue had been replaced by Tuesday morning. Dyer is running against Fresno County prosecutor Andrew Janz to be the city’s top official.
The campaign team expected to see some vandalism and had materials ready to replace the damaged sign, Dyer said on Tuesday. The billboard originally went up earlier this month.
“Honestly I was surprised it took that long,” Dyer said. “I just know there are individuals out there that have a deep hate for me and a deep hate for law enforcement.”
Dyer declined to speculate on the meaning of the words “rapist” and “murder” that were scrawled across the sign. “I don’t think that is for me to interpret. I think that’s a question for the person who did it,” he said.
Other smaller signs have been damaged, Dyer said, and lawn signs stolen.
Janz denounced the defacing of any campaign signs.
“I know what it’s like to have my campaign signs vandalized. Even my wife’s sign hanging outside her business has been a target of vandals,” Janz said in a statement. “For that reason I am strongly condemning any destruction or defacing of campaign materials belonging to my opponent Jerry Dyer.”
A number of other people have pulled papers to run for mayor. Dyer and Janz are the most visible contenders and the only candidates to report any campaign contributions, according to records.
The election is March 3.
This story was originally published November 26, 2019 at 1:30 PM.
