Maryland’s attorney general has warned Black Marylanders to be on the lookout for racist text messages sent from an unknown sender or senders.
This follows reports of Black college students in several states reporting to authorities Wednesday they had received anonymous text messages using racist references to the era of U.S. slavery, according to USA Today.
Maryland AG issues after ‘multiple reports of racist text messages’
In a Thursday night news release, the Office of the Attorney General stated it has received multiple reports of the racist text messages being sent to Black Marylanders from an unknown sender or senders.
While there are several versions, each text message, at a minimum, instructs the recipient to “board a bus” to be transported to a “plantation” to work as a slave, according to the AG’s office. The text messages appear to be part of a nationwide campaign targeting Black people in the wake of the election. Among the recipients were school-aged and college students, causing significant distress, the release added.
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What to do in Maryland if you receive racist text messages
The AG’s Office requested that people who receive these text messages report them to their local law enforcement agency to ensure that these hate messages are tracked, and to the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Division for evaluation. Complaints can be lodged with the Civil Rights Division using this form: https://bit.ly/48w8WF7 or with the Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention at https://nohomeforhate.md.gov.
“These messages are horrific, unacceptable, and will not be tolerated. If you have been sent one of these texts, I am asking for you to please come forward and report it,” said Attorney General Anthony Brown in a news release. “I am committed to protecting the rights of all Marylanders. There is no home for hate in Maryland.”
No reports so far on Lower Shore, in Hagerstown, but elsewhere in MD
On the Lower Shore, spokespeople from Salisbury University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore said they hadn’t heard of any instances of racist texts being to sent to students or faculty. The Salisbury Police Department had not responded to a request for comment as of publication.
In Washington County, Hagerstown City Police Lt. Rebecca Fetchu said Friday morning she was not aware of any such texts being received in the Hagerstown area.
Washington County Public Schools spokesperson Erin Anderson also said she wasn’t aware Friday morning of any students or staff in the public school system here receiving such texts.
Hagerstown Community College spokesperson Beth Kirkpatrick said Friday morning she was not aware of any students receiving such messages.
The Washington Post reported that Maryland’s largest school system, Montgomery County Public Schools, sent a letter to families and staff Thursday that many individuals, including students, received text messages containing racist threats.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate incidents nationwide, and local authorities in Ohio, Alabama, South Carolina and other states were investigating the messages, which were sent out after the announcement of Donald Trump’s election, the USA Today reported.
It’s unclear who sent the messages and how many were sent. At least some of the messages claimed to have come from “A Trump supporter,” per USA Today.
Julie Greene of the Hagerstown Herald-Mail and multiple USA Today reporters contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Racist text messages prompt AG to issue alert to Black Marylanders
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