Hate Speech, Nazi-Inspired Vandalism Rears Ugly Head in Trump Aftermath | DiversityInc
Hate Speech, Nazi-Inspired Vandalism Rears Ugly Head in Trump Aftermath
From anti-immigrant postings on social media to swastikas scrawled on storefronts and a Black doll found with a noose around its neck, some Trump supporters are acting on his rhetoric
By Moses Frenck
The election of President-Elect Donald Trump has emboldened some of his supporters to act out on his campaign rhetoric with impunity. Despite Trump’s call for the nation to come together, many of those who voted for him consider his selection to be mandate.
In the immediate aftermath of Trump’s victory, the hatred spread from vicious posts on Facebook and Twitter, to intimidation in the streets, to multiple acts of vandalism.
In Philadelphia, swastikas and Trump’s name (with the T replaced by an additional swastika) were spray-painted on a storefront, including the words “Sieg Heil 2016.” Sieg heil was the victory salute adopted by the Nazis in the 1930s.
Elsewhere in Philadelphia, a white SUV was covered in black spray paint that read “Trump Rules” and “Black Bitch,” and a city police spokesperson said they have responded to reports of vandalism of “multiple autos and houses.”
The Nazi vandalism was found the day after Trump’s election and on the 78th anniversary of Kristallnacht in Germany, also known as the Night of Broken Glass, when fascists vandalized and burned Jewish homes, shops and synagogues.
“Folks who are inclined to be mean to other folks feel very empowered at the moment,” artist Caryn Kunkle, who first discovered the vandalism on the Philadelphia storefront, told local media.
In the Buffalo area, property was defaced with swastikas and the words “Make America White Again.” According to the Buffalo area’s Wellsville Daily Reporter, the Wellsville police chief saw no cause for action. The town is located in Allegany County, where 61 percent of the vote went to Trump, according to New York State Board of Elections.
At Canisius College in Buffalo, a Black doll was found hung by a noose in an elevator on Tuesday night at a freshman dorm. The incident prompted a quick response from Canisius President John Hurley, who strongly condemned the “despicable act” in a letter to faculty, staff and students.
Meanwhile, in Rochester, New York, a gay pride flag flying on someone’s porch was burned. Rochester police are investigating the incident as arson and a possible hate crime.
As election results started coming in on Tuesday night, Twitter began filling up with tweets telling immigrants to “pack your bags,” “get the fu*k out you piece of sh*t” and that they are being hunted.
One post addressing immigrants with the caption, “The wolves are coming. Do you hear them? They’ve had a taste of blood. They want their meal” included a video where the person says “wolves are hungry and we have been spoiling for a fight … you are now the hunted.” The tweet was posted by “Grabby Nimble,” whose Twitter page features an image of planet Earth wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.