Stories have been flooding in of Black individuals throughout the US receiving disturbing textual content messages referencing slavery and “choosing cotton”, following Donald Trump’s presidential election win. These racist messages have been reported in over a dozen states, together with California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, and Alabama, as per CNN. The messages, despatched anonymously, instructed recipients to report back to a “plantation” or board a bus, sparking widespread alarm and prompting investigations by the FBI and different businesses.
The messages typically instruct recipients to report back to a particular tackle, generally mentioning the incoming presidential administration. Some even goal youngsters, with stories of center college college students receiving these hateful messages. As an example, a 16-year-old lady in California obtained a textual content directing her to report back to a “plantation” in North Carolina.
A pal in San Francisco obtained this racist textual content right now, and after wanting on social media, it appears many Black persons are receiving it too. pic.twitter.com/eDyFf3a6Ix
— John Ryan E (@RyanElward) November 7, 2024
The FBI is working with the Justice Division to deal with these incidents, whereas the Federal Communications Fee (FCC) is investigating alongside federal and state legislation enforcement. TextNow, the platform by which a few of these messages have been despatched, instructed CNN it is a “widespread, coordinated assault”.
FBI Assertion on Offensive and Racist Textual content Messageshttps://t.co/vpQYAO6LT7 pic.twitter.com/iDtN36WhX4
— FBI (@FBI) November 7, 2024
”TextNow is working alongside our trade companions to uncover extra particulars and proceed to observe patterns to actively block any new accounts trying to ship these messages. We don’t tolerate or condone the usage of our service to ship harassing or spam messages and can work with the authorities to stop these people from doing so sooner or later,” the corporate stated.
Civil rights organisations, together with NAACP, one of many largest Black civil rights organisations within the US, have condemned these messages. The Southern Poverty Legislation Middle has additionally weighed in, calling the messages “deeply disturbing”
”We have stated it earlier than and we’ll say it once more – there isn’t a place for hate in a democracy. The menace — 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 in a press release.
Whoever is sending the racist textual content messages is utilizing anonymizing software program to obscure their location, Louisiana Lawyer Normal Liz Murrill instructed CNN on Friday.