Liberal Massachusetts town at war over giant Trump 'Punisher' skull protest

A tiny town is waging war against an unknown Donald Trump supporter - for projecting a 'Punisher' logo inspired by the president-elect on a local water tower.

Officials and residents in Hanson, Massachusetts , are up in arms over the display, which first surfaced after Trump's pronounced win on Wednesday.

The new logo inspired by the Marvel antihero comes after an unsanctioned Trump 2024 insignia had already graced the water tower for weeks.

Officials in the town 20 miles south of Boston proceeded to fine the man responsible - ticketing him $100 a day since the installment was first spotted on October 11, sparking debates about free speech.

The left-leaning town has since slapped the resident with a cease-and-desist order, as he continues to project the images from his home. Officials went on to say the same man is responsible for both projections, choosing not to release his name.

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'Earlier today, the Town of Hanson discontinued measures put in place to block a political image being projected onto a Town-owned water tower,' Town Administrator Lisa Green said in the statement Thursday , pointing to the town's recent installation of floodlights to drown out the messages.

This created problems as well, as residents complained about being subject 'to the incessant roar of industrial generators from dusk to dawn,' The New York Times reported.

'Regrettably, the party involved in the image projection resumed projecting today,' Green's statement went on to reveal.

'[A]s a result we have had to yet again take measures to block the projected image,' with the floodlight now reinstated - along with the daily fine.

While laying out the town's renewed response, Green reiterated how she and other local officials do not endorse any political candidates or party in particular, and how local bylaws prohibit the display of any political symbols or signage on town property.

'The Town is duty-bound to enforce those bylaws and is committed to taking whatever action is necessary to prevent future violations,' she explained.

'At this time the Town is going to continue its efforts in trying to dim the image with spotlights and fining the resident each day that the image continues to be projected onto Town property,' a spokesperson further clarified in an email.

'There are currently no other updates at this time.'

The town, meanwhile, remains somewhat divided over the issue - with some rallying behind the unnamed man responsible and others chiding him.

'It shouldn't be displayed on town property,' one local woman said in an interview with NBC 10.

'The sign is huge,' added Linda Joy in an interview with CBS News Boston . 'I mean, come on. Give it a break.'

'Not in a municipal tower,' added someone else. 'At your home, fine.'

'The hundred dollar fine doesn't even cover the cost of sending someone out to shine a light on it,' added Mike Joy, a relative of Linda.

'The way I look it, [the town should] have a stiffer fee.'

Others in town, meanwhile, are in favor of the display, saying it constitutes free speech.

'I'd pay to see it every day,' said Hanson resident Tom Murphy, referring to the daily $100 fines.

He and others interviewed insisted that town officials are merely angry about the projection's message.

'The problem is that the Dems just never want to lose,' one woman interviewed by NBC 10 said. 'They always want to rig it so they win.'

The man responsible for the Trump-themed lights, meanwhile, declined interviews with local outlets, after refusing to sign a pledge late last month that would have seen him vow to not project any politically charged logos again.

The Punisher logo the produced could be in reference to the questionable reputation the character's logo has earned in recent years, as police officers continue to flaunt and adopt it.

In the comics, The Punisher is a vengeance-driven vigilante hell-bent on revenge, and the law-enforcement based spin on the logo appears to come in reference to some officers not caring about proper due process for criminals.

'I doubt there's anyone who would suggest that any of the clowns who wore the Punisher skull would have acted any differently in D.C. had it or the character never existed," said Punisher writer Garth Ennis following the events of January 6, which saw several Trump supporters don the logo

'They did what they did because their demented turd of a leader convinced them the election had been stolen.'

For now, for better or worse, the floodlights continue to drown out the insignia - at residents' expense.