Authorities in the USA are investigating reviews of Black folks throughout the nation receiving textual content messages invoking slavery following Donald Trump’s victory within the presidential election.
The racist textual content messages have been reported by folks in additional than a dozen US states, together with California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia and Alabama.
The wording of the messages varies however follows the identical fundamental script of telling the recipient they’ve been “chosen to choose cotton on the nearest plantation”, in line with native information reviews and social media posts.
Among the texts have been labelled as coming from a “Trump supporter” or included the hashtag, #MAGA.
Frances Carmona, a Native American girl in Grand Rapids, Michigan, informed native media that her 15-year-old niece had obtained one of many messages, which stated she must be able to be “searched and patted down as soon as inside the plantation”.
“Upset is an understatement,” Carmona was quoted as saying by NBC affiliate WOOD-TV.
“I don’t know what’s occurring. I knew issues have been going to occur after the election, however not the day after. , it’s type of scary. It’s horrifying.”
The FBI stated on Thursday it was conscious of the messages and was in touch with the Justice Division and different federal authorities.
“As all the time, we encourage members of the general public to report threats of bodily violence to native regulation enforcement authorities,” the company stated in an announcement.
The Federal Communications Fee stated it was investigating the texts together with federal and state regulation enforcement.
Attorneys normal in quite a few states additionally confirmed that they have been trying into the matter.
“These messages are horrific, unacceptable, and won’t be tolerated,” Maryland Lawyer Normal Anthony Brown stated.
“When you have been despatched considered one of these texts, I’m asking so that you can please come ahead and report it. I’m dedicated to defending the rights of all Marylanders. There isn’t any residence for hate in Maryland.”
The NAACP, one of many largest Black civil rights organisations within the US, condemned the messages.
“The risk – and the point out of slavery in 2024 – is just not solely deeply disturbing, however perpetuates a legacy of evil that dates again to earlier than the Jim Crow period, and now seeks to stop Black People from having fun with the identical freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson stated.
“These actions will not be regular. And we refuse to allow them to be normalised.”
The Southern Poverty Regulation Middle (SPLC), one other civil rights organisation, additionally expressed condemnation, describing the messages as a “public spectacle of hatred and racism that makes a mockery of our civil rights historical past”.
“Leaders in any respect ranges should condemn anti-Black racism, in any kind, every time we see it – and we should comply with our phrases with actions that advance racial justice and construct an inclusive democracy the place each particular person feels secure and welcome of their neighborhood,” Margaret Huang, SPLC president and CEO, stated in an announcement.
About one-fifth of the hate crimes reported in main US cities in 2022 have been focused towards Black folks, in line with police knowledge analysed by the Middle for the Examine of Hate and Extremism at California State College San Bernardino.
