Five families in Montgomery, AL had their homes vandalized with swastikas and racial slurs.
On August 26, Black homeowner Otis Ramos heard dogs barking outside his home at 3 or 4 am. When Ramos went to investigate, he found a swastika and a racial slur spray-painted on his house and vehicle. Later, Ramos would discover that four other houses on his street had been similarly vandalized. Ramos told the Montgomery Advertiser that there were other homes in his neighborhood which had been vandalized as well, and he also said that whoever was responsible for these attacks also broke the window of his children’s bedroom.
Montgomery Police Department spokeswoman Maj. Saba Coleman said in an email that the police are investigating the events as hate crimes.
“We ARE looking at the act as a hate crimes violation and will complete a thorough report with all pertinent facts for presentation to our federal partners,” Coleman stated.
Ramos told the Advertiser, “We going through something right now, and not only are we going through something but a couple of our neighbors are going through something with us in 2023. It’s like you wouldn’t expect it, but being Black you kind of understand, ‘OK, well you don’t expect it, but you expect it.’ (At) the end of the day … what’s going to be done about it?”
Ramos questioned the Montgomery Police Department’s slow response. He said the police arrived four hours after he made the call, which made his wife Katrice feel unsafe.
“Like I told the police, if you did something like that and get a slap on the wrist, what are you going to do next? At 4 in the morning, somebody house going to be on fire?” he asked.
Others in the community are also calling on the Montgomery Police Department to make it known that these acts will not be tolerated.
Alabama State Rep. Phillip Ensler, who is Jewish, wrote on his Facebook page: “I am enraged by the white supremacist, racist images and words spray painted on personal, private property of residents in the Dannelly Pines area of Montgomery,” Ensler wrote. “I unequivocally stand against all crimes, acts, words, and displays of hate. I recognize the pain and anger this is causing so many in our community and I stand with them. I look forward to and appreciate law enforcement swiftly and thoroughly investigating. The culprit must be held accountable.”
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