#Noose on telephone line in Maine sparks investigation

A noose was found hanging from a telephone line in a Maine town — where Black Lives Matter signs were also vandalized, according to reports.

The noose along Route 15 in Deer Isle was removed by an arborist on Saturday after he saw a “disturbing” photo of it on social media, the Bangor Daily News reports.

“I knew I couldn’t leave it be if it was still there,” Jason Lepper, of Blue Hill, told the newspaper while questioning while it wasn’t plucked off sooner.

Mina Mattes, of Deer Isle, shared an image of the rope late Friday on Facebook, saying the noose was easily distinguishable in the backdrop of a summer sunset.

“A noose, hanging from the power lines, next to a huge WHITE LIVES MATTER sign,” Mattes wrote. “Just this morning, less than a mile away, black lives matter signs that had only been up for a few hours were vandalized and torn down … Tell me again this isn’t ‘our problem,’ that it ‘doesn’t happen here.’”

Mattes, who has organized protests against police brutality and racial injustice at Blue Hill’s town hall, said the demonstrators had been previously confronted by critics with the “most vile, racist stuff” imaginable.

The discovery was made on Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States some 155 years ago.

“This isn’t some symbol from the past, this is a very active symbol of hate and violence, and to have that threat literally hanging over people’s heads at a time like this when so many people are already so scared and so threatened — you know, it’s just completely not okay,” Mattes told WCSH. “It’s really despicable.”

An investigation was underway by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, according to the outlet.

Calls seeking additional comment by The Post were referred to Maine State Police. Investigators there did not immediately return a message seeking comment.