Happy Holidays….

nj.com

Two men attempt to torch ‘Saturnalia’ billboard in Pitman

Someone tried to torch the “Saturnalia” billboard on the edge of town Tuesday night.

An off-duty police officer from another municipality was in Carolina Blue restaurant with a number of friends when they looked across the intersection of Lambs Road and Holly Avenue at about 11:45 p.m. and spotted two men underneath the billboard, which proclaims “Keep Saturn in Saturnalia.”

According to Carolina Blue owner Brad Cook, manager Ed Hood was working at the bar and restaurant when the attempted torching took place.

Cook said Hood told him that it was a “pretty lame attempt” and that a man driving a pickup truck drove up to the billboard during his shift.

After exiting the vehicle, the man stepped out of the truck with a can of gasoline and proceeded to try and set the billboard on fire, according to the manager.

The billboard was erected by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, the organization’s way of countering the “Keep Christ in Christmas” banner that hangs across Broadway, Pitman’s main thoroughfare. The Christmas banner is erected by the Knights of Columbus.

The FFRF has been objecting to the Christmas banner since at least 2011, insisting it is illegally hung, without receipt of proper permits.