A Lafayette family is pleading for civility after someone threw a brick through their window over a sign.
Several homeowners in the Broadmoor neighborhood have political signs in their front yards. The sign in question hung in a teenager's bedroom window, supporting a movement.
"This is something that happened at my house, to my family, but we don't see the incident itself as the major focus of our story anyway," said Connie. "What we want to talk about is broader than that."
On the evening of September 16, Connie's daughter Maria was doing homework inside her bedroom when the brick was thrown into the window, shattering the glass.
"I just saw my sign fly across my room and then glass follow it, and I was just really confused at first," said Maria. "I was like, 'What just happened?'"
Maria says she was shocked to know someone would do that when she was simply standing up for what she believes in.
"I strongly believe in the First Amendment of free speech. That's what we're built on, and everybody has the right to it," said Maria.
Most neighbors agree: It doesn't matter your political affiliation. It's about human decency.
"What about obligation to your fellow man, and to your community, and to your city and state," said Dale Savoie, who lives nearby. "You have an obligation to be a good citizen, not to be some kind of a crazy person that goes around doing crazy things like they did the other night."
Connie is hoping people can freely express themselves without the fear of retaliation.
"Are we going to be brick throwers or brick layers? We each have a choice to make every single day about how we're going to conduct ourselves," said Connie.
The family says the outpouring response they have received has been nothing but positive, and an anonymous person volunteered to repair their window for free.
The crime is under investigation. If you any information about the incident, call the Lafayette Police Department at (337) 291-8600.
