A WINDOW displaying a “stop Brexit” poster was smashed by a thug in an act of “physical retribution”.

The home of former Lib Dem councillor Jean Howes, and Liberal Democrat secretary Bob Howes, was targeted on Tuesday night at 10pm as a “curb-stone” was thrown through the window.

Jean, 69, admitted she had “never heard a bang like it”, fearing it “could have killed them” if it had fully smashed the window and hit someone inside the home, in Brightwell Avenue, Westcliff.

Jean said: “It is a sign of intolerance, and this is what happens when society begins to breakdown, people think they can act this way.

“We live in a democracy, and we have been expressing our opinion, we haven’t forced it on anyone, we simply have a poster up.

“It is upsetting, it is sad that people feel the need to do that in such an aggressive way.”

Neighbours reported seeing the culprit flee the scene, running towards Fairfax Drive.

One of those is Labour councillor Kevin Robinson.

He was quick to slam the individual who acted so irresponsibly.

He said: “It is a shame, they are lovely people and very highly thought of in this area.

“It was about 10pm, and the brick was thrown right next to the stop Brexit poster.

“We live quite far down the road, it is very unlikely that someone was passing and just spotted this.

“I think it is targeted, someone has known that poster is there and come down late at night to do it.

“It seems like an act of physical retribution to me, but it is wrong in so many ways.

“The poster is quite large, maybe A3 size, so people walking down the street in the day often stop to look at.

“But however you voted you can’t act like this, it is just not right.

“Even if you voted Brexit, you don’t want to see people acting this way.”

No arrests have been made so far.

A spokesman for police said: “We were called to reports of criminal damage on Brightwell Avenue, Westcliff, after a window was broken. Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 101.”