Ferguson Mayor Jones takes action after hate speech was used during virtual Human Rights Commission meeting. St. Louis County NAACP responds.
Her Reaction was Spurred by a Racist Rant During a Virtual Meeting.
FERGUSON, Missouri – After hate speech was used during a virtual meeting of the Human Rights Commission Monday night, Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones is taking action.
Mayor Jones identified the individual as ‘Albert’. However, during the Zoom meeting, the participant never showed his face. During the course of the meeting, ‘Albert’ used the N-word numerous times.
Mayor Jones said that kind of language will not be tolerated.
“I’m hot…it’s so demeaning,” she said. “To get on a Human Rights Commission meeting and talk to the commissioners that way is unacceptable…this person gets on and tries to belittle them, berate them and tell them they are ‘not U.S. citizens’ and ‘it’s time for them to go back to Africa,’” Mayor Jones stated.
John Bowman, President of the St. Louis County NAACP, said there is much work that needs to be done in the aftermath Monday night’s comments.
“We have to come together as a community and as people to push back on these deplorable hate statements,” he stated. “Hate comments is what they are.”
10 years ago, Ferguson was at the epicenter of protests and riots in the days following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer.
The incident sparked a nationwide debate on race relations across the country. “We should be bringing ourselves together to show more empathy to the needs of individuals in this country,” Bowman said.
Ella Jones is the first African American mayor in the City of Ferguson, and she says the city must continue to push forward.
“A case has been filed with the Ferguson Police Department, the FBI has been talked to, and this guy has a digital footprint. We will find him,” she said.
This story first appeared on Fox 2, Kelly Hoskins, Reporter
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