Urgent call:
Very short notice but important: this afternoon, during the Democratic Party of Evanston's interview with 5th ward candidate Carolyn Dykes Murray, Trump supporting haters intercepted the Zoom and made racists comments, including mentioning information about Carolyn's family members.
The community is showing up at 5:30 p.m. (NOW) by Carolyn's house on the 1900 Block of Grey.
Dress warm, bring a candle, wear a mask.
This is unacceptable and we must stand by our BIPOC leaders and BIPOC community members against racist attacks.
On Sunday evening, the DPOE's Eamon Kelly posted the following statement on Facebook:
"This afternoon, during our endorsement interview with Carolyn Murray, candidate for 5th ward alderwoman, an intruder entered our Zoom event and used racist, derogatory language both in the chat and audio. We shut it down as quickly as we could, but we are so sorry that Carolyn experienced this white supremacist political attack. Everyone who was in attendance must have also felt attacked and it was all deeply upsetting. The police have been involved and we are helping in any way we can.
Since the pandemic has forced us to meet virtually, unfortunately these meeting rooms are susceptible to threats. We will continue to improve our security protocols, and attempt to safeguard the privacy and security of our members and guests. We will be in touch about how we are adjusting for our upcoming events.
No one should feel unsafe in participating in the political process, especially as a candidate for public office in Evanston. Our thoughts of support are with Carolyn this evening. Also, thanks for your messages of support to everyone who was impacted, including our team."
I also learned yesterday that District 65 Board Member Elisabeth "Biz" Lindsay-Ryan's car was targeted on Saturday night with homophobic hate messages.
Here is D65 Board President Anya Tanyavutti's response to that horrific incident, just another in the continuous onslaught against D65 leadership since last September.
This all in addition to the three times in short succession that Northminster Church's Black Lives Matter sign has been vandalized in the past several weeks.
"We're currently discussing options of ways we will continue to use our banners to communicate to the community how our faith compels us to be unequivocal in our solidarity with those seeking racial justice and equity, while also dissuading the vandal from continued destruction of our property," said Westminster's Pastor Micael Kirby.
"We appreciate all of the support we have received, but believe our focus must be on the work of racial justice and the pain these actions cause our fellow children of God of color, not on the vandal's targeting of Northminster."
Recently, an interfaith group of leaders responded to the ongoing vandalism in this letter to the community.
We must be vigilant.
Report incidents of hate to the Evanston Police Department so that they can track them.
Follow up with a report to the FBI online or call the Chicago Field Office at (312) 421-6700.
Contact your US Senator and your US Representative.
Contact Governor Pritzker.
Contact Mayor Hagerty.
Learn more from the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center.
And remember to always be an upstander not a bystander when you see hate happening.
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