Business owner speaks out after vandalism of ‘Southie Pride’ sign

BOSTON — A business owner in South Boston said his “Southie Pride” sign outside his business, Micro Plant Studios, was vandalized over during Boston’s Pride weekend.

Surveillance video from his business captured the alleged crimes.

“Why did he do it? And what was the intention?” Julio Cesar Roman, owner of Micro Plant Studios, said.

Roman said when he noticed the sign was damaged, he initially thought it could have been from Saturday’s storms, until he watched back his surveillance video.

“When I looked at the cameras, I noticed that it was someone that actually had intentionally and maliciously kicked the sign,” Roman said.

Surveillance video showed the first incident happened around 8:45 p.m. Saturday night. A person can be seen walking down the sidewalk on West Broadway past the sign.

Then he pulls out his phone and appears to kick the sign. Then around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, another individual can be seen stopping to pose with the sign before letting it fall to the ground. Just after 1 a.m., another man can be seen tipping the sign over.

“We have had the same sign before out so it’s not like it has been kicked before or anything like that. This is actually the first time,” Roman said.

Roman said the sign will cost more than $500 to replace.

“I do think that people need to be held accountable,” Roman said.

It’s just unnecessary and wrong," Amelia Tardif, a Southie resident, said.

Tardif said she saw the videos posted on social media.

“Just why? It doesn’t make any sense. Why? ...it’s not representative of the community,” Tardif said.

But there was a little more the video captured that night.

Just before 1:15 a.m. two people can be seen attempting to fix the sign.

“I do want to meet the guys that actually helped put the sign up,” Roman said.

Roman said he’s not going to let what happened affect him.

“Sometimes people want a reaction and, in my case, you’re not gonna get an angry reaction,” Roman said.

He added he’s not mad, just disappointed.

“There’s a learning lesson through all of this… I think the people that did this should recognize what they did was wrong... I do hope that people start thinking about looking out for each other when they see something,” Roman said.

Roman said he filed a police report and Boston police are investigating.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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