DES MOINES — A Des Moines home is now a target of vandals following outrage over painted pallets depicting Confederate flags and a Swastika, near an elementary playground.
William Stark’s property has generated anger over the symbols, with people spraypainting his truck and his Confederate flag pallets.
But the Des Moines Police Department is warning you not to do that.
“We definitely don’t want people getting to the point where they are damaging his property or they’re threatening him,” said Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department. “Whatever, you’re going to dish out you can’t stoop to that level. You cannot drop down there and commit a crime and expect that anything is going to change.”
One of Stark’s neighbors, Nancy and Ron Beghtel, said they didn’t notice anyone vandalize his property.
“I think it’s sad. It’s destruction of property and they have no right to destroy somebody else’s property,” the couple said. “Maybe they have something at their house I don’t like, but I have no right to go and destroy it.”
While looking at the damage, others began to come look for themselves.
“I had to see it for myself,” said Heater Ryan. “I was like, ‘There’s no way we have that in Iowa. There’s no way.'”
The City of Des Moines said while repugnant, it’s his right.