Beyond Texts: Suspected Racist Hate Crimes Surge After Trump’s Election
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Donald Trump’s election win seems to be emboldening the worst in America. Since his presidential election win last week, Black people across the U.S. have been reporting racist incidents targeting them based on their race, not only in the form of text messages but also in the vandalization of private property. The FBI, local law enforcement agencies and community organizations have all condemned the suspected racist hate crimes.
Still, this alarming trend has sparked nationwide concern, prompting calls for action, increased vigilance and stronger measures to combat hate-driven threats and racial violence.
As previously reported by NewsOne, Black students across the country reported receiving racist text messages after Donald Trump’s presidential election win.
According to the Crimson White, Black UA students said they received racist threats from a slew of anonymous phone numbers. The numbers feature area codes inside and outside the state, making tracing difficult.
One of the messages said the recipient had been “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.”
“Be ready at 1:00 pm SHARP with your belongings. Our Executive Slaves will come get you in a Brown Van, be prepared to be searched down once you’ve entered the plantation. You are in Plantation Group C. Good day,” the racist text read.
Parents and students, including those who received the texts, expressed fear and dismay about the messages.
According to our partners at HipHopWired, the suspected hate crimes occurred in nearly 25 states, prompting federal agencies to begin investigations.
The NAACP said that the messages had been received by college students in Alabama, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Ohio and Virginia. New York State Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that middle school and high school students, as well as college-age students, also received those messages in the state, according to HipHopWired.
But the text messages aren’t the only racist acts Black people have been subjected to since Trump became president-elect. In Lawnside, New Jersey, a woman’s property was vandalized with a racial slur, sparking outrage among the predominantly Black community.
“I felt violated,” said Dawn Hines. “I still feel violated.”
Hine told reporters she’d lived in the neighborhood for 20 years and had never felt hatred like this before in her community.
“Hate has no place here. It has no place here,” Hines told 6ABC. “I have loving neighbors. My neighbors are loving, and we are a loving community.”
The FBI said it’s “aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.”
Local FBI offices have also said they are investigating local racist incidents and are working with local law enforcement to quell racial violence.
Donald Trump’s rhetoric may seem humorous to some, but there’s no doubt he emboldens hate, which could mean rough times ahead for minorities in this country.
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Racist Text Messages Threaten Black Students Nationwide After Trump Win