MLK Day 2021: Will Violent Extremists Target Black People and Landmarks?
With Churches Being Burned and Nooses Being Found at Various Locales in 2020,
From The G-Man Contacted the F.B.I. to Obtain Information on Potential Threats
By Gary Glennell Toms
During the summer of 2020, many communities of color were deeply concerned and uneasy after six Black men were found hanging from trees in different sections of the country. The majority of law enforcement officials classified the deaths as suicides, but many Blacks believed the men were lynched. “People are on edge. They are nervous. This is a troubling, a challenging time for us. It is shocking in our community, and no death in that form should go uninvestigated,” said Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Additionally, it was reported that nooses were discovered at public areas in California and New York.
In December of 2020, a number of news organizations reported that Black Lives Matter signs were burned at Washington, D.C. churches and that the churches were vandalized during a pro-Trump rally. The incidents were reportedly being investigated as hate crimes.
In April of 2019, the New York Times reported…”Three historically black churches have burned in less than two weeks in one south Louisiana parish, where officials said they had found “suspicious elements” in each case. The officials have not ruled out the possibility of arson, or the possibility that the fires are related.”
Given these reports, the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, persistent threats against Black Lives Matter, and incidents of violence against Black community leaders, From The G-Man submitted an email to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Washington, D.C. Field Office and asked the agency if it had any concerns that white nationalists/supremacists might do something on a major scale on January 18 to send a powerful message to the country or obtain global exposure. To counter efforts to disseminate misinformation on the Internet, the agency was also asked if it had obtained information indicating Black churches or landmarks would be targeted. The agency did not respond to the questions posed, but it did state the following in an email.
“Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim, they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. Because of their wide-ranging impact, investigating hate crimes is a high priority for the FBI.”
Note: It’s not about being a snitch. The news reports cited in this post confirm that the threat is not only real, it’s dangerous. If you hear or see something, say something. Contact the FBI office or local law enforcement in your area.