Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has filed a civil rights complaint against a Harpswell father and son who Frey said “vandalized road signs and roadways in Harpswell, Brunswick, Bath, and Topsham with antisemitic and racist phrases and symbols.”
William Deary, 49, and Hayden Deary, 18, also have been charged with criminal mischief in connection with antisemitic graffiti found at an intersection on Great Island in Harpswell, as well as racist graffiti in Brunswick.
According to a news release Frey’s office issued Monday, March 19, the Dearys spray-painted the phrase “Gas Jews” in early January on the Harpswell intersection and on the pillars supporting an overpass at Route 1 in Bath.
“They spray-painted swastikas on signs at locations along Gurnet Road and on the Cook’s Corner Exit sign in Brunswick. In Bath, the swastika graffiti included the numbers 88 and 14,” the release said. “As defendant Hayden Deary later told the investigating officers, the number ’88’ means ‘Heil Hitler.'”
According to the complaint, the number 14 also “represents white supremacist and racist ideology.” It stands for “14 words,” which is a reference to a white supremacist slogan.
According to Frey, the antisemitic messages “caused the members of a synagogue in Bath to be concerned for their safety.”
“An armed police officer has been posted at the synagogue during Hebrew School in response to the antisemitic messages and symbols,” the release said. “In addition, the Dearys vandalized a road sign with a racial epithet a short distance from the Cook’s Corner area in Brunswick, where asylum seekers are being housed.”
The Dearys have admitted to spray-painting the racist and antisemitic words and symbols, according to Frey.
William Deary said he was upset about immigrants moving to the Cook’s Corner area and was angry at Jewish people for promoting the COVID-19 vaccine and sending immigrants “to clean the white race out,” the release said. Hayden Deary indicated that he had been frustrated by “mass immigration.”
“These words and symbols, defacing public property, are clearly designed to make people in our community feel unwelcome and unsafe,” Frey said in the release. “This behavior by father and son Deary is shocking and reprehensible. My office will use the statutory authority provided to confront their bias-based threats.”
The Maine Civil Rights Act prohibits the use of violence, the threat of violence or property damage against anyone motivated by that person’s “race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identity,” according to Frey.
The law authorizes the attorney general to seek restraining orders against people who violate the act.
In the Deary case, the civil rights complaint asks the court to prohibit the father and son from vandalizing public or private property with the intent to broadcast racist or antisemitic messages, the release said. If granted, violating the order would be a Class D crime, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Frey thanked the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Bath Police Department and Brunswick Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The Dearys are scheduled to appear in West Bath District Court on Tuesday, April 16, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has said. They are charged with two counts each of criminal mischief, also a Class D crime.
Have a comment or news tip? Email J. Craig Anderson at craig@harpswellanchor.org.
