As Labor Day festivities unfolded earlier this week in Boston, a sinister message dampened the celebratory mood. An electronic construction sign board displayed the message "KKK Meeting Today" in the vicinity of D and Cypher Streets in South Boston, according to a report from the Boston police department.
A Boston police officer noticed the unsettling message around 7:40 a.m. that day and immediately informed her supervisor. They were joined by another officer, who promptly switched off the sign. Boston police's Civil Rights Unit, Massachusetts State Police, and Massport were all notified of the incident, as mentioned in WCVB.
Since the signboard belongs to a private construction company, the act was initially investigated as vandalism. However, the company's name was redacted from the police report. It remains unclear whether this act was a malicious hack, an employee's doing, or a larger political statement. According to the Boston Herald, these aspects are part of the investigation.
Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere in Massachusetts, with police on Martha's Vineyard looking into who posted signs for the white supremacist group Patriot Front.
