BIDDEFORD – The father of a man accused of assaulting a gay neighbor said the two got into a fight during an argument about graffiti sprayed on their home.

Reginald Gilbert Sr., 48, and Reginald Gilbert Jr., 28, are charged with violating the civil rights of the neighbor in what the Attorney General’s Office calls a hate crime. The father was charged with terrorizing and the son was charged with assault.

The injunction accuses the Gilberts of using a long list of slurs, in combination with making threats and, in the case of the younger Gilbert, physical force.

The attorney general’s complaint under the Maine Civil Rights Act would legally bar them from contact with their alleged victim. A court would have to approve the complaint first.

The complaint would require the men to stay at least 200 feet away from the man and not harass anyone else based on sexual orientation. Violations would carry a penalty of up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

The elder Gilbert said he accused the man of spray painting the words “Drug Dealer” on his home.

Gilbert said the language heated up and a physical confrontation ensued. In a second incident, at 2 a.m. the next day, Gilbert Sr. allegedly continued using slurs after police arrived.