The FBI is investigating racist and offensive text messages targeting African Americans that Bloomfield residents, including students, received last week as part of a wave of similar attacks which targeted individuals in at least 32 states.
“The FBI is 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. As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities,” the FBI said in a terse statement. The FCC has also announced that it is investigating,
The texts, which were sent last week beginning November 6 in the wake of President Trump’s reelection, contained instructions to report to pick cotton, an obvious reference to the past enslavement of African Americans.
People received some form of the following text, grammatical errors included:
“Greetings, You have 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 enter the plantation. You are in Plantation Group C. good day.”
On its Facebook page, the town of Bloomfield released a statement in conjunction with the Board of Education, in which they said they are “actively responding” to the texts and ready to cooperate with local, state and federal authorities in their investigation.
“We have been made aware of racist and derogatory text messages that have been sent to Bloomfield students and community members,” the statement says. “It is our understanding that individuals across the country have received these hateful messages, and the Town of Bloomfield and the Bloomfield Board of Education stand united in condemning any and all forms of racism, prejudice, or hate within our community. We are deeply disturbed by the recent remarks involving this racially offensive language, which violates the core values of respect, inclusion, and equality that we hold as a town and school district.Racist language, behavior, and rhetoric have no place in Bloomfield, and we are committed to ensuring that every member of our community feels safe, valued, and respected.”
Bloomfield is the only majority Black suburb in the state of Connecticut.
Connecticut politicians reacted with anger and disgust to the racist texts.
“To see middle school students in Bloomfield targeted by racist and threatening anonymous messages is nothing short of reprehensible,” said John Larson, D-CT. “All students must be able to feel safe at home, in the classroom, and on the internet, and no one should ever be targeted because of who they are. It is especially disturbing to see this was not a remote or isolated incident, with Black students across the country reporting that they received similar text messages.”
The Connecticut State Republican Caucus called for efforts to ensure that those responsible for the messages be held accountable.
“It’s abhorrent. Connecticut Senate Republicans condemn it in the strongest of terms. But what is state government doing about it?” the caucus said in a statement. “How are we pursuing the hate mongers? Are we? Is the Connecticut State Police working with the FBI to hold people accountable? Are meetings being held with local law enforcement? We need more information – and more transparency – from state government. We universally condemn the hate. But what, exactly, is being done about it?”
The texts were sent to primarily African American recipients in at least 32 states and the District of Columbia. States and municipalities across the country have announced their own investigative efforts as well.