Bristol Borough officials face criticism over Halloween display

Local officials in Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania, are facing scrutiny for pressuring a homeowner to remove his Halloween decorations. The display, located on a property near Philadelphia, includes a small graveyard, scarecrows, and five mannequins wrapped in black plastic and duct tape hanging from a tree.

During an October 12 borough council meeting, resident Karla Scott expressed that the decorations were “very offensive, not just to the black people in the community, but the community as a whole,” noting that the imagery reminded her of historical lynchings.

Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe acknowledged that the homeowner has broken no local ordinances and that the resident intends to keep the decorations up. Despite this, officials have continued to visit the property to request their removal. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has characterized the government's actions as “jawboning,” suggesting that officials are attempting to pressure a citizen to chill their constitutional rights through indirect threats.