Southport police investigate damaged parade chairs along North Howe Street
Southport police are investigating after multiple chairs placed along North Howe Street for the city’s Fourth of July parade were intentionally cut or damaged. Southport Public Works personnel reported the damage to police at approximately 7:30 a.m. Friday, July 3, 2026, according to a City of Southport release issued July 7.
The damaged chairs had been placed in advance of the parade, making the incident part of the city’s preparations for its signature civic event. Police asked residents and visitors who may have information to contact the department.
Damage reported along the parade route
Officers found multiple chairs along North Howe Street that had been cut or otherwise damaged. The official release describes the damage as widespread property damage along Southport’s Fourth of July parade route.
The available information does not state how many chairs were damaged or provide an estimated dollar value. It also does not identify a person responsible for the damage.
North Howe Street was part of the downtown traffic-control area for Southport’s 2026 Fourth of July Festival. A June 24 report from WECT identified North Howe Street and other downtown streets among the locations affected by festival road closures and traffic changes.
Police request information
Southport police have asked the public to provide information related to the damaged chairs. The department’s request applies to anyone who may have observed activity along North Howe Street before Public Works reported the problem.
The city’s July 7 release confirms that police opened an investigation, but the approved information does not establish that an arrest or criminal charge had been made by Aug. 7, 2026. It also does not say that the parade was canceled or materially disrupted.
For residents and visitors preparing to attend or work around the event, the reported damage affected setup along a central section of the parade route. The incident also underscores that North Howe Street was being used as part of the festival’s planned event area, where road closures and traffic changes had already been announced.
The next known step is the police department’s continuing request for information. No additional deadline for submitting information, and no later investigative finding, is provided in the approved source material.
Sources
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