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Boat owner: Suspect started fire on board because of pro Trump banner

A man is accused of intentionally starting a fire on board a boat at a Bridgeport yacht club all because of a pro Trump banner, the owner claims.

News 12 Staff

Sep 1, 2020, 10:34 AM

Updated 1,562 days ago

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A man is accused of intentionally starting a fire on board a boat at a Bridgeport yacht club all because of a pro Trump banner, the owner claims.
The incident happened Monday 2:30 p.m. near where the boat was docked at the East End Yacht Club in Bridgeport.
Olajuwon Johnson of Bridgeport was charged with arson in the 3rd degree, police say. 
The owner of the boat, Mark Bourque, tells News 12 that police found Johnson with a gas can a short time after the fire started and that there was not a lot of damage to his vessel because witnesses were able to see what Johnson was doing very quickly.
 Bourque told News 12 he believes he was targeted because of a Trump 2020 banner displayed on his boat.
"It's a shame you can't represent and support your president without somebody trying to set your boat on fire," Bourque says.
Police say Johnson was arrested, and the fire was set on a cooler on the boat, but was put out shortly after the incident was reported to law enforcement.
Johnson's bond was set at $10,000.